Pietermaritzburg – The JG Zuma Basis says former president Jacob Zuma will attraction the judgment of Decide Nkosinathi Chili ordering that his corruption trial start on 1 February 2027, no matter pending appeals.
Earlier right this moment, Thursday, 14 Could 2026, Decide Chili handed down his judgment within the Pietermartsburg Excessive Court docket that said that the trial should start with out additional delay.
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The long-running corruption case in opposition to Zuma and French arms firm Thales stems from the controversial 1999 Arms Deal.
Zuma faces a number of expenses, together with corruption, racketeering, cash laundering, and a number of counts of fraud.
Responding to the judgment, the JG Zuma Basis issued an announcement during which it “confirms that president Zuma has given agency directions to his authorized staff to institute an software for depart to attraction in opposition to the judgment of Decide Chili delivered earlier right this moment”.
The assertion added: “The judgment is completely faulty and constitutes a number of and gross misdirections of truth and regulation.
“The prospects of getting the judgment reversed and overturned on attraction to a better courtroom.”
The JG Zuma Basis stated it can’t be {that a} single decide can willy-nilly erase or rewrite the Structure of South Africa, which ensures a number of substantive and procedural rights to all accused individuals.
“We can’t have one regulation for all accused individuals and one other regulation for Zuma.
“It’s time to put a cease to the rising phenomenon often known as ‘Zuma Regulation’.
“As we communicate, two appeals are pending earlier than the Supreme Court docket: one coping with the recusal of the present prosecutor and the opposite coping with the appliance by Thales for acquittal primarily based on the deaths of key witnesses.”
The JG Zuma Basis requested how a trial can begin earlier than these questions have been determined.
“For instance, which prosecutor will run the case?” the JG Zuma Basis requested.
“Can the Excessive Court docket pre-empt the choice of the SCA or the Constitutional Court docket?
“These are key and unprecedented points which might be raised by this incorrect and disturbingly stunning judgment of the Honourable Decide Chili.”
