afrol News, 12 January - President of the ruling party in South Africa, Jacob Zuma has lost what is believed to be the last hurdle for him before an election date, when the Supreme Court in Bloemfontein today said his charges could be reinstated.

The Appeals Court found this morning that the lower court had misdirected itself in holding that there was political interference in the Jacob Zuma case, adding that the High Court Judge had only formed an opinion that was not based on any evidence or allegation presented to the court.

The Supreme Court further said the High Court Judge "overstepped the limits of its authority" by suggesting there may have been political interference to prosecution of Mr Zuma.

Mr Zuma is facing multiple charges of corruption and graft resulting from the 1999 arms deal. The case has been dragging since 2006 though his financial advisor, Schabir Shaik, was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years on the similar charges, which also implicated Mr Zuma.

Though he has reportedly said he would step down if found guilty, political analysts in South Africa, say Mr Zuma's hanging charges could be against the ruling party's campaign in the forthcoming general elections this year.

"This is a set back to the campaign, as both Mr Zuma and the ANC have to come up with a convincing package to go ahead with Zuma as a presidential candidate," said one political observer.

National Prosecution Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Tladi Tladi, said the office was satisfied with the court decision and said as far as the prosecusion was corncerned, Mr Zuma remains the accused and what is left was for the concerned parties and the court to agree and set a date of hearing.

He expected that decision to be made soon, though he could not give a specific date, saying after the decision there was no more reason for setbacks.

The African National Congress has however said it would continue with Mr Zuma as its presidential candidate despite the ruling, saying the courts of law had not yet found him guilty.

According to the South Africa legal system, Mr Zuma could still take his appeal further to the Constitutional Court, though legal experts say the court would be considering most his constitutional rights and other rights, instead of dealing with the case itself.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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