Page 11 - aruba-today-20180317

A11
WORLD NEWS Saturday 17 March 2018

Former South Africa president Jacob Zuma to be prosecuted

By CHRIS TORCHIA intention to commit any of
JOHANNESBURG (AP) the crimes listed in the in-
— Former South African dictment," said Abrahams,
president Jacob Zuma will who himself faced calls to
face old charges of fraud, resign for allegedly declin-
racketeering and money ing to move against Zuma
laundering, prosecutors when he was in office.
announced Friday, deep- Zuma, 75, resigned as presi-
ening the legal woes of a dent last month after he
leader whose tenure was was ordered to do so by his
marked by scandals. party, the African National
Shaun Abrahams, head of Congress. He was replaced
the National Prosecuting by his deputy, Cyril Rama-
Authority, noted the "long phosa, who has promised
history" of the reinstated a robust campaign against
charges against Zuma, corruption and also faces
which were thrown out by the tough task of rebuilding
prosecutors nearly a de- the popularity of a ruling
cade ago in a contentious party whose moral stature
decision that opened the has diminished since it took
way for him to become power at the end of white
president. The charges re- minority rule in 1994.
late to an arms deal in the The ANC responded to the
1990s, when Zuma was reinstated charges against
deputy president. Zuma, saying it has confi-
"After consideration of the dence in the South African
matter, I am of the view criminal justice system and In this 2017 photo, President Jacob Zuma, looks on at the African National Congress (ANC) elec-
that there are reasonable is committed to the idea of tive conference in Johannesburg. The director of South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority
prospects of a successful "equality of all before the says that former president Jacob Zuma will be prosecuted on 16 charges of corruption. Shaun
Abrahams announced Friday, March 16, 2018 that Zuma will be face charges including fraud,
prosecution of Mr. Zuma on law." corruption, racketeering and money laundering.
the charges listed in the in- The ruling party urged South (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
dictment," Abrahams said. Africans to allow prosecu-
The chief prosecutor said tors to do their work and to influence Cabinet ap- 2016 that Zuma violated welcomed Abrahams' de-
there were 16 counts cautioned that Zuma has pointments and win state the constitution following cision.
against Zuma, and that the the right to be "presumed contracts. Additionally, a an investigation of multi- "Now there must be no fur-
former president had said innocent until and if proven judicial panel is preparing million-dollar upgrades to ther delay in starting the
he was a victim of miscon- guilty." to view allegations of cor- his private home using state trial," said Mmusi Maimane,
duct by prosecutors as well In a separate case, South ruption at high levels of the funds. He paid back some leader of the opposition
as leaks to the media. African authorities are South African government of the money. Democratic Alliance. "The
"Mr. Zuma in addition dis- seeking to arrest members during Zuma's years in of- South Africa's main opposi- witnesses are ready, the
putes all the allegations of the Gupta business fam- fice. tion party, which fought for evidence is strong, and Ja-
against him and records ily, which allegedly used In another scandal, South years in court to get charg- cob Zuma must finally have
that he lacked the requisite its connections to Zuma Africa's top court ruled in es reinstated against Zuma, his day in court."q

Zimbabwe's ex-leader Mugabe calls his ouster a "disgrace"

By FARAI MUTSAKA that he was pushed out by peachment proceedings the ex-leader. the ruling ZANU-PF party
Associated Press the military, which staged by the ruling party against Mugabe's rule began with and growing concern that
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) a takeover that led to his Mugabe, who was re- promise, but the economy Mugabe's wife Grace was
— Former Zimbabwean resignation after 37 years placed by former confidant deteriorated and the politi- maneuvering to take over
leader Robert Mugabe has in power. He said, "It was a Emmerson Mnangagwa. cal situation grew toxic with from her elderly husband.
given his first interview since coup d'etat," adding "we Analysts believe prospects numerous allegations of hu- The African Union endorsed
being forced from power in must undo this disgrace." that Mugabe could make man rights violations and Zimbabwe's power transi-
November, describing his The former president spoke a political comeback are rigged elections. tion and other nations were
removal as a "coup" and a at his mansion in a suburb remote, despite a recent Finally, the military rolled supportive of Mugabe's
"disgrace." of the capital, Harare. announcement by a for- tanks into the streets after ouster.
Mugabe, 94, told South Af- The military intervention mer army brigadier that he Mnangagwa, then deputy "Some people refused to
rican broadcaster SABC in was hugely popular in had formed a new political president, was fired amid call it a coup," Mugabe said
a program aired Thursday Zimbabwe and led to im- party that is sympathetic to factional battles within in the SABC interview.q