[JURIST] A lawyer for former South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma [party profile], who earlier this week was acquitted in a rape case [JURIST report], called for Zuma's upcoming corruption trial to move quickly through the court system in order to avoid disrupting his client's goal of attaining a leadership position in the African National Congress. Zuma, who was indicted on corruption charges [JURIST report] last November, has said the charges are part of a conspiracy to discredit him politically [JURIST report] in order to prevent him from challenging South African President Thabo Mbeki [BBC profile] in the 2009 presidential election.

Zuma was fired [JURIST report] from his position in the government last year after one of his advisors, South African businessman Schabir Shaik [Wikipedia profile] was found guilty [JURIST report] on charges of corruption and fraud. The Mail & Guardian has more.