New Delhi, Dec. 5 -- Former South African President Jacob Zuma and his co-accused, the French arms manufacturer Thales, returned to court on Thursday to appeal for the dismissal of the long-running corruption case against them.

Zuma, one of the key figures of the South African liberation struggle who served as president from 2008 to 2018, is accused of corruption in connection with an arms transaction in 1999.

Here's what to know about the case:

The charges

Zuma faces 18 charges, including corruption, fraud, and money laundering, linked to 783 alleged illegal payments he received from French armaments manufacturer Thales (formerly Thomson-CSF) and business owner Schabir Shaik.

Zuma has refuted every indictment, saying the accusations...