Zuma appears in court on corruption charges

Former South African President Jacob Zuma has appeared in court to face corruption charges.

On Friday, Zuma was arraigned in court in relation to a $2.5 billion arms deal, a scandal from the 1990s that has come back to haunt him within weeks of his fall from power.

The 75-year-old, whose scandal-plagued nine years in office were marked by economic stagnation and credit downgrades, faces 16 charges including fraud, racketeering and money laundering.

Zuma denies any wrongdoing and is challenging the decision to prosecute the case, a dramatic development on a continent where political leaders are rarely held to account for their actions before the law.

Wearing a dark suit, a smiling Zuma waved to crowds of supporters and reporters as he mounted the steps of the High Court in Durban shortly before 0700 GMT.