Jacob Zuma charged with corruption, case adjourned to June 8

Mr Zuma briefly appeared in court on Friday morning, charged with corruption and case adjourned to June 8, 2018

Jacob Zuma charged with corruption, case adjourned to June 8

A High Court in Durban, South Africa, this morning charged former President Jacob Zuma charged with corruption linked to a 1990s arms deal.

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The BBC said after the 75-year-old’s 15-minute appearance at the Court, the case was adjourned until 8 June.

Zuma faces “16 counts of corruption, racketeering, fraud and money laundering, which dogged his presidency and were reinstated in 2016”, said the BBC.

His supporters descended on the city to rally for him, while his critics think court action is long overdue.

After the hearing, Mr Zuma addressed the crowds, who had come to stand alongside him at the court in his home province.

“Some people are acting like I have been convicted, I am innocent until proven guilty,” he said, according to Reuters news agency.

He then led them in song and dance.

Mr Zuma and his legal team insist the charges are trumped up and politically motivated. The arms deal happened in 1999 when Mr Zuma was deputy president He is accused of accepting bribes from French arms firm Thales via his financial adviser at the time.

The adviser, Schabir Shaikh, was found guilty of trying to solicit the bribes and was jailed in 2005.

The case against Mr Zuma was dropped shortly before he ran for president in 2009.

However, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) resurrected the case late last year and forced Zuma to resign as President after stripping him of his position as the leader of the ruling party. Zuma has denied any wrongdoing.