Zuma denies involvement in arms deal
Jacob Zuma says he
believes the corruption charges against him will soon be dropped.
The former president has claimed to have had no role in the controversial arms deal, saying it was concluded under the leadership of former president Nelson Mandela and then deputy, Thabo Mbeki.
Zuma was speaking to supporters on Thursdays, outside the Pietermaritzburg High Court, where he lost another bid to have lead prosecutor, Billy Downer, removed from the case.
He says he was serving in the KZN provincial government and was not involved in national decisions, at the time.
READ: Zuma’s bid to remove prosecutor in corruption case rejected
"When we needed the weapons in question, I was still in provincial government. I was not a part of national assembly talks, and I was not there where the talks began.
"The president at the time was Nelson Mandela and his deputy was Thabo Mbheki. They are the ones who chose the supply and costs.
"By the time I got to national government, big decision were already taken with regards to the arms deal, yet I was singled out as a thief."
Lawyers for Zuma and Thales say they will not be able to introduce or challenge evidence in the case as two key witnesses have died.
READ: Court to hear Zuma, Thales applications in corruption case
They have argued that this will infringe on their clients' rights to a fair trial.
On Thursday, the court heard an application by the French arms company to have the case stopped, and charges dropped.
The manufacturer's legal team says the company's director Pierre Moynot and former head Alain Thetard have died.
The former president has supported the move, with a conditional application, telling the court that if Thales is acquitted, then he should also be.
The State alleges that the company paid Zuma bribes-through financial adviser and businessman Scabir Shaik, to secure the contract in the 1990s.
The French company's representative, Barry Roux has responded to the State's request for them to call Shaik as a witness.
"What about Mr. Shaik? He is a compellable witness, and my best answer is, yeah right. He has been found to be unreliable, not to be credible, not only by the trial court, but by all the other courts. Why does the State not call him?."
State Prosecutor, Andrew Breitenbach says Shaik should be able to provide Thales with the information it needs.
"It is true that Mr. Shaik's evidence was rejected by the Shaik trial court. I have readily accepted that he will have a hard time of it. It's not unknown for people who are accused of serious crimes to give untruthful evidence as the Shaik trial court found that he did.
"And later on, when the dust is settled and in particular when they are not in criminal jeopardy to come clean and tell the truth."
The matter has been postponed to May.
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