National Prosecuting Authority Mr Shaun Abrahams has announced in a media briefing that 16 criminal charges that relate to a R30-billion government arms deal in the late 1990s will be reinstated against former president Jacob Zuma.
The NPA has reinstated 18 charges of corruption, money laundering and racketeering against former president Jacob Zuma.
The charges relate to 783 questionable payments Zuma allegedly received in connection with the controversial multi-billion rand arms deal.”I am of the view that there are reasonable prospects of a successful prosecution of Mr Zuma,” embattled NPA boss Shaun Abrahams said on Friday.He said he notified Zuma on his decision earlier in the day.
Former NPA boss Mokotedi Mpshe dropped the charges in 2009, based on the recordings of the so-called “spy tapes”, which were presented to him by Zuma’s legal team.
The tapes were made up of recordings of telephone conversations between then Scorpions boss Leonard McCarthy and former NPA boss Bulelani Ngcuka, which Zuma’s legal team claimed showed political interference in the decision to charge him.
The charges were subsequently withdrawn, just before Zuma was sworn in for his first term as president.
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