South African Court Acquits Jacob Zuma’s Son of Culpable Homicide

(Bloomberg) -- A South African court acquitted former President Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane, of culpable homicide and negligent driving after his involvement in a car accident in which a person died in February 2014.

“I accept the defense’s argument that none of the evidence presented established that there was anything that a reasonable driver in the position of the accused on that night would have foreseen,” Magistrate Tebogo Thupaatlase said in his judgment Friday. “It is therefore found that the state failed to prove the case against the accused beyond reasonable doubt.”

Zuma was driving a sports car when it collided with a minivan in the Johannesburg suburb of Sandton. Two taxi passengers were critically injured, and one of them later died.

His father Jacob, 77, who was forced to step down as president in February last year and replaced by Cyril Ramaphosa, said he was satisfied with the court’s ruling.

“I am very happy that the trial has ended and that my son was found to have not been negligent or irresponsible when driving the car that night,” he said after the judgment.

To contact the reporter on this story: Amogelang Mbatha in Johannesburg at ambatha@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Karl Maier at kmaier2@bloomberg.net, Hilton Shone, Paul Richardson

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