S.Africa's Zuma pleads not guilty to rape charge
Reuters.uk
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Johannesburg (South Africa):
South Africa's former Deputy President Jacob Zuma pleaded not guilty to a rape charge on Monday, saying he had sexual relations with the woman who lodged the accusation but that it was consensual."We had sex for some time. It was consensual," Zuma said in a statement read by his lawyer to a packed Johannesburg courtroom as he entered a not guilty plea in the politically-charged case.
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See Also:
Delayed Zuma trial set to resume
Zuma denies S Africa rape charges
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Hundreds of Zuma supporters demonstrated outside the court, while a rival women's group held a protest in support of the plaintiff, a 31-year-old AIDS activist and longtime family friend.
One of South Africa's most popular politicians and former frontrunner to succeed President Thabo Mbeki in 2009, Zuma was fired as Mbeki's deputy last year amid a corruption scandal and was later hit with the separate rape charge.
Mar 06, 2006
Reuters.uk
_______
Johannesburg (South Africa):
South Africa's former Deputy President Jacob Zuma pleaded not guilty to a rape charge on Monday, saying he had sexual relations with the woman who lodged the accusation but that it was consensual."We had sex for some time. It was consensual," Zuma said in a statement read by his lawyer to a packed Johannesburg courtroom as he entered a not guilty plea in the politically-charged case.
___________________
See Also:
Delayed Zuma trial set to resume
Zuma denies S Africa rape charges
___________________
Hundreds of Zuma supporters demonstrated outside the court, while a rival women's group held a protest in support of the plaintiff, a 31-year-old AIDS activist and longtime family friend.
One of South Africa's most popular politicians and former frontrunner to succeed President Thabo Mbeki in 2009, Zuma was fired as Mbeki's deputy last year amid a corruption scandal and was later hit with the separate rape charge.
Mar 06, 2006