# State prosecutor Billy Downer says there is no truth to former president Jacob Zuma’s claim that the state’s description of his Stalingrad litigation strategy has racist undertones. Zuma and French arms company Thales have launched court applications to have the arms-deal corruption case against them dropped, because of unreasonable delays in the trial. In court papers, Downer says he is baffled that detailing Zuma’s failed attacks on his prosecution could be described as carrying racist undertones, adding that no reasonable observer would see any truth to this claim.
Billy Downer denies that the state’s description of Zuma’s litigation strategy has racist undertones