S.Africa's graft-accused Zuma claims he has been 'vilified'
Former South African President Jacob Zuma appears before the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture on July 15, 2019 in Johannesburg, where he faces tough questioning over allegations that he oversaw systematic looting of state funds while in power. PHOTO | WIKUS DE WET | POOL | AFP
The former President is accused of fostering a culture of corruption during a nine-year reign before he was ousted in 2018 by the ruling ANC party and replaced by Cyril Ramaphosa.
He denies all wrongdoing and dismissed the concept of "state capture", while his lawyers have described the inquiry as an attempt to "ambush and humiliate" him.
Zuma was forced to set up the inquiry in January 2018, shortly before he left office, after failing in a legal battle to overturn the instructions of the country's ethics ombudsman.
Led by judge Raymond Zondo, the probe is investigating a web of deals involving government officials, the wealthy Gupta family and state-owned companies.
JOHANNESBURG,
South Africa's graft-accused ex-President Jacob Zuma said on Monday he had been "vilified", as he testified at a judicial inquiry into the alleged looting of state funds while he was in power.
