Africa

South Africa's Zuma must wait 3 months for court decision

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Former South African President Jacob Zuma, in the High Court in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, Friday, May 24, 2019. Zuma is in court facing charges of corruption, money laundering and racketeering. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, Pool)

Supporters of the former South African President Jacob Zuma wait for him to address them outside the High Court in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, Friday May 24, 2019. Zuma is in court facing charges of corruption, money laundering and racketeering. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Former South African president Jacob Zuma will hear in three months' time whether corruption and other charges against him might be dropped.

Pietermaritzburg High Court judges have reserved judgment on his application for a permanent stay of prosecution. No date was announced.

Zuma was president from 2009 until 2018, when his African National Congress party forced him to resign amid corruption allegations.

He is accused of receiving bribes related to a 1999 arms deal. The charges were raised more than a decade ago and later withdrawn, then reinstated after a court ruled there were sufficient grounds to bring him to trial.

Zuma asserts that his case has been prejudiced by long delays.

The prosecution says his legal maneuvering caused delays and there are no justifiable reasons to halt his prosecution.