Julius Malema
Reuters, 04/08 14:21 CET
By Peroshni Govender
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – A
judge threw out corruption charges against South African opposition
firebrand Julius Malema on Tuesday, a ruling hailed as a major victory
by the vocal critic of President Jacob Zuma.
Malema had been accused of money laundering, racketeering
and fraud relating to government contracts. But Judge George Mothle
said he had waited too long for his trial after a string of
postponements, and told him: “You are free to go.”
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)said
the move did not constitute an acquittal and the action could be
revived at a later date. But political analyst Nic Borain said the
outcome was an embarrassment and showed the state’s “general
incompetence to assemble a case”.
“If this was a conspiracy to besmirch Malema’s name, it looks like it was carried out very poorly,” Borain said.
Malema, once a leading figure in the ruling African National Congress (ANC), had regularly dismissed the charges as a government conspiracy to silence and discredit him.
Full article available here: Judge Throws Out Fraud Case...
Source: Euronews
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