JURIST - Paper Chase: South Africa prosecutor says enough corruption evidence to charge Zuma

[JURIST] South African National Prosecuting Authority [official website] acting Director Mokotedi Mpshe said Thursday that prosecutors have sufficient evidence to support corruption charges against Jacob Zuma [BBC profile; JURIST news archive], who earlier this week was elected leader of the African National Congress [party website], putting him in position to become the country's next president. Zuma has been facing corruption allegations [BBC timeline] and other charges for several years; he was first charged with corruption in 2005, but those charges were later dismissed [JURIST report] because prosecutors failed to follow proper procedures. He was also charged with rape in late 2005 and was acquitted at trial in April 2006. In the latest allegations [Reuters backgrounder], Zuma is accused of accepting almost $600,000 in bribes from a French arms company, a larger amount of money than previously thought.

Mpshe's announcement follows a decision last month from the South African Supreme Court of Appeal that warrants for documents seized from Zuma were lawfully obtained [JURIST report] and that the documents could be used against him if prosecutors continued to pursue the corruption case. AP has more. BBC News has additional coverage.

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