By Zuleikha Ahmed
21:09:2021

Former President Jacob Zuma, having being granted medical parole, is not in attendance this morning as his case resumes in the High Court today.

The former president and the Thales company face fraud, corruption and racketeering charges related to the 1999 arms deals. He is further accused of taking bribes from the French arms deals company worth R4 million.

After serving just a few months of a 15-month sentence at the Estcourt Correctional Centre, he is currently out on medical parole following his conviction to imprisonment by the Constitutional Court for showing contempt to the apex court.

When Zuma last appeared before the High Court in Pietermaritzburg, Judge Piet Koen adjourned the case after parties agreed to allow time to assess his medical records. He further added that the matter must return to open court in the absence of Zuma.

His legal team had previously told the court that the former president wanted to testify in person about why he should be acquitted of corruption charges without standing trial.