South Africa prosecutor turns down Zuma’s request to delay court case

File: Former president Jacob Zuma is facing charges of fraud, corruption, money laundering and racketeering. Photo: NIC BOTHMA / POOL / AFP

South Africa’s national prosecutor has turned down a request by former president Jacob Zuma to delay a hearing over a $2.5 billion arms deal and the case will resume on Friday, a spokesman for the prosecutor said on Tuesday.

Zuma faces 16 charges including fraud, racketeering and money laundering relating to a 1990s deal to buy European military hardware to upgrade South Africa’s post-apartheid armed forces.

Zuma, who has denied any wrongdoing, was in court in April in a procedural appearance.