Former South African president Jacob Zuma faces corruption charges

Former South African president Jacob Zuma is to face prosecution on 16 charges of corruption, authorities in the country have announced.

The director of South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority, Shaun Abrahams, said Zuma faces charges including fraud, corruption, racketeering and money laundering.

The 75-year-old resigned as president last month after he was ordered to do so by his party, the African National Congress.

The charges stem from a 2.5 billion dollar government arms purchase in the 1999, when Zuma was deputy president. He was elected president in 2009.