Prosecutors said they will decide Friday whether to pursue graft charges against South Africa's ruling party boss Jacob Zuma, weeks before general elections expected to make him president.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Tlali Tlali told AFP on Tuesday that a decision would be made following a review of new evidence submitted by Zuma's lawyers.
"The NPA will take a decision whether it is going to continue to prosecute Mr Zuma or not," Tlali said. Asked when the decision would be taken, he said: "Friday."
The announcement came after widespread South African media reports that Zuma's legal team had submitted politically sensitive new evidence that could prompt prosecutors to drop the case.
The new evidence reportedly backs up Zuma's claims that his longtime rival, former president Thabo Mbeki, had interfered in the eight-year case against him.
Zuma, who has been in and out of court over charges of corruption, fraud, money-laundering and racketeering, has long insisted he is the victim of a political conspiracy -- a view backed by his supporters.
Neither Zuma's lawyers nor the NPA has commented on the existence of audio tapes which local media say contain conversations between Mbeki and Leonard McCarthy, the former head of an elite crime-fighting unit.
Zuma is widely expected to become the country's next president after general elections on April 22, when his ruling African National Congress is expected to win a majority in parliament.
His case is currently set to go to trial in August.
