South Africa Court paves the way for President Zuma's prosecution

South Africa's Supreme Court has paved the way for President Jacob Zuma's prosecution over the corruption charges relating to a 1990s arms deal.

South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal upheld a lower court's ruling that a 2009 decision by state prosecutors to drop the charges against Zuma was irrational.

Zuma, who has held power since 2009, and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) were appealing against the 2016 High Court ruling to reinstate the charges that were previously discontinued by prosecutors.

Rejecting their appeal, Judge Lorimer Leach said it was "irrational" for the NPA to have set the charges aside.

"The reasons for discontinuing the prosecution given ... do not bear scrutiny," said Supreme Court judge Eric Leach who read the ruling.

 

In a statement from his office, Zuma said he was "disappointed" by the decision and now expects the National Prosecuting Authority to consider representations on the case before making the decision to prosecute him, Media reports.

Zuma is likely to approach the Constitutional Court to try to set aside the Supreme Court's ruling.

Welcoming the court verdict, General Bantu Holomisa, leader of South Africa's opposition party United Democratic Movement (UDM) has demanded the immediate resignation of Jacob Zuma from the post of president and also asked him to face the criminal charges.