South Africa court: Corruption charges against Zuma should be reinstated

South African President Jacob Zuma should face 783 corruption charges that were dropped a few days before he won his first election, the High Court ruled Friday.

The decision by the thennational prosecutor to halt the proceedings was “irrational,” Judge Aubrey Ledwaba said.

The ruling follows a long legal battle begun seven years ago by the opposition Democratic Alliance, or DA, party, which argued that prosecutors had yielded to political pressure in 2009.

The charges filed against Zuma relate to an arms purchase by the South African government in 1999, when Zuma was deputy president.

While Zuma’s attorneys are expected to appeal the decision, the High Court’s ruling deals a blow to Zuma, who is already being hounded by corruption and abuseofpower scandals.

In March, the Constitutional Court ruled that Zuma violated South Africa’s constitution when he refused to comply with a demand by the country’s anticorruption watchdog to return a portion of the 246 million rands ($17 million) in public funds spent on renovating his private residence.