South African court rejects effort to delay corruption trial

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME
Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A South African court has dismissed former President Jacob Zuma’s attempt to remove the prosecutor from his upcoming corruption trial. Zuma’s effort to have the prosecutor taken off his corruption case was rejected Wednesday by Pietermaritzburg High Court Judge Piet Koen who said it “lacks reasonable prospects of success.” Zuma, South Africa’s president from 2009 to 2018 before he was removed by his African National Congress party amid wide-ranging allegations of corruption, had argued that lead prosecutor Billy Downer is biased against him. The efforts to have Downer removed have delayed the start of Zuma’s corruption trial, which is now scheduled to start on April 11.