The Pietermaritzburg High Court is anticipated to reopen the corruption trial of former president Jacob Zuma today. Zuma’s second petition to have main prosecutor Advocate Billy Downer removed from the case was rejected by presiding Judge Nkosinathi Chili, and the case was rescheduled for a pre-trial hearing in March of this year.
Zuma and French arms manufacturer, Thales, are facing corruption and racketeering charges related to the controversial 1999 multi-billion-rand arms deal. The case before Judge Chili follows Judge Piet Koen’s dismissal of Zuma’s earlier special plea in 2021 to recuse himself from the trial.
Chili reserved reasons for his decision until after the trial.
He said he was not convinced that Zuma would not receive a fair trial if Downer was retained as prosecutor.
