Thales subsidiaries charged with corruption in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) — South African prosecutors served corruption indictments on two subsidiaries of French defence giant Thales linked to a multi-billion dollar arms deal scandal that has already cost co-indictee Jacob Zuma his job as deputy president.

"Thint Holding (Southern Africa) (Pty) Ltd... and Thint (Pty) Ltd... will face charges of corruption related to those preferred against accused number one, Mr. Zuma," the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said in a statement on Friday.

Although this was the first time that Zuma has formally received details of the state's accusations, the prosecutor announced his intention to charge Zuma in June, just after President Thabo Mbeki sacked him.

Zuma's financial adviser Schabir Shaik, who was convicted of corruption earlier this year, allegedly negotiated a deal with the subsidiaries to pay Zuma 500,000 rand (75,000 dollars / 63,000 euros) a year in return for protection from investigations into suspected irregularities ...