JURIST - Paper Chase: Zuma South African corruption trial set to start after two postponements

[JURIST] Former South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma [party profile] is set to appear in court again Tuesday, where he faces corruption charges [JURIST report] stemming from an arms-procurement scandal. Zuma was fired as South Africa's deputy president in June 2005 after a close business associate was convicted of fraud and corruption [JURIST reports].

Zuma's corruption trial was postponed [JURIST report] for the second time in July to allow for further investigation. Zuma was recently acquitted on rape charges [JURIST report] and subsequently reinstated [JURIST report] as deputy president of South Africa's ruling African National Congress [party website]. Zuma has said he believes the corruption charges are part of an effort to prevent him from running against South African President Thabo Mbeki [BBC profile] in the 2009 election. Zuma's lawyer has pressed for a speedy trial [JURIST report] so as not disrupt Zuma's political goals. Reuters has more.

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