South African Leader Indicted for Corruption

Lawyer calls charges 'politically motivated'; party crisis intensifies
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 28, 2007 10:39 PM CST
South African Leader Indicted for Corruption
Newly elected ANC president Jacob Zuma addresses delegates as the leading party's 52nd conference in Polokwane, South Africa, came to an end Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)   (Associated Press)

South African prosecutors hit a new ruling party leader with corruption charges today, threatening his shot at the presidency and risking a prolonged legal and political crisis, the Guardian reports. ANC leader Jacob Zuma was ordered to stand trial next year on charges including racketeering and fraud linked to a $7.1 billion arms deal in 1999. Zuma's lawyer called the move politically motivated and the timing suspicious.

Analysts expect the indictment to bring further strife to a party—and country—deeply divided by Zuma's leadership battle with President Thabo Mbeki, the New York Times reports. “What you have here is a declaration of war,” said a critic of Mbeki. Zuma beat Mbeki in a bitter contest for the ANC helm last week, but has little chance of becoming president until the next election in 2009.  (More Jacob Zuma stories.)

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