South African court rules Zuma’s corruption case to continue

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME
Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Former South African President Jacob Zuma’s effort to get a prosecutor removed from his corruption case has been dismissed by the Pietermaritzburg High Court. Zuma filed a special application to have prosecutor Billy Downer taken off his case, accusing him of bias. Judge Piet Koen on Tuesday dismissed Zuma’s application, paving the way for the corruption case against the former president to proceed. He said the trial will continue on April 11, 2022. Zuma faces charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering related to the country’s controversial arms purchase in 1999. He is accused of receiving bribes from French arms company Thales through his former financial advisor Schabir Shaik, who was convicted of related charges in 2005.