A South African judge threw out corruption charges against former Deputy President Jacob Zuma yesterday, boosting the popular politician's bid to succeed President Thabo Mbeki.

High Court Judge Herbert Msimang said the state's case against Zuma "went from one disaster to another" and had failed to follow proper procedure.

"There were clear guidelines which should have informed their decision to proceed. They ignored those guidelines at their own peril," Msimang said. "This is the chickens coming home to roost."

The judge's ruling stopped short of completely dismissing the case, however, and prosecutors hinted they intended to refile charges at a later date. "The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is obviously disappointed with this decision but wishes to stress that it does not detract from the state's case or the ability of the NPA to bring the matter to trial when the various issues delaying the trial have been resolved," NPA spokesman Makhosini Nkosi told reporters.

Hundreds of Zuma supporters gathered outside the courthouse broke out in cheers and dancing on news of the ruling, which was seen as a major political boost for Zuma who has made little secret of his hopes to succeed Mbeki in 2009.

Inside the courtroom Zuma supporters some of them dressed in the traditional regalia of his Zulu tribe leaped to their feet and started chanting "My President."

Zuma, 64, was fired from his job as South Africa's deputy president last year after a judge found he had a "generally corrupt" relationship with his financial adviser Schabir Shaik.

Prosecutors later filed charges against Zuma himself, accusing him of receiving bribes from French arms company Thint in connection with a controversial arms deal.

Msimang's decision to throw out the charges also applied to the state's case against Thint.

South Africa's rand slipped on news of Msimang's decision, moving to 7.4125 to the dollar from 7.36/dollar earlier in the day.

Economic analysts, along with many educated South Africans, say the prospect of a Zuma presidential campaign could be bad news for South Africa's international image, built in part on a reputation for a strong stance against corruption.

Zuma has denied any wrong-doing and called the charges part of a conspiracy to thwart his path to the presidency, throwing the African National Congress (ANC) into some of its worst internal turmoil since it guided South Africa from apartheid to democracy in 1994.

Zuma remains a deputy president of the ANC and has been ralling support among grassroots members as well as left-wing allies of the party including South Africa's major labour unions, Communist Party, and the ANC's own youth wing.

While the judge's ruling was a significant victory for Zuma's legal team, it also means that the case will continue to dog him as prosecutors mull their options on refiling charges.

(China Daily 09/21/2006 page7)