French Arms Company Thales To Be Prosecuted Along With Zuma - NPA

"The charges have been reinstated for them as well, and they will appear in court with Zuma."
Jacob Zuma.
Jacob Zuma.
Tiksa Negeri / Reuters

The NPA will also be prosecuting the local affiliate of French arms company Thales for its role in the arms deal saga alongside former president Jacob Zuma, the prosecuting authority has said.

"The charges have been reinstated for them as well, and they will appear in court with Zuma," NPA spokesperson Luvuyo Mfaku told News24.

Thales would face charges of corruption and fraud, while Zuma would face charges of corruption, fraud, money laundering and racketeering.

NPA boss Shaun Abrahams announced on Friday afternoon that the NPA believes it can successfully prosecute Zuma.

The case involves 783 questionable payments Zuma allegedly received from the company in connection with the arms deal.

In 1997 Thales won a R2.6-billion stake in South Africa's R60-billion arms-acquisition programme to supply combat systems for four frigates procured by the navy. Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi previously told the City Press that the NPA was trying to establish who would be representing the company in court.

"Our investigator was requested by the new prosecutions team to establish who will represent Thint [now Thales] during the trial, if the national director of public prosecutions (NDPP), Shaun Abrahams, decides to prosecute the company," he said.

Mulaudzi said Thales was "duly informed that the decision lies with the NDPP, based on the recent Supreme Court of Appeal ruling".

He said Thales "committed to cooperate pending the decision of the NDPP".

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