2006年VOA标准英语-Ex-South African Deputy President Cleared

By Delia Robertson
Johannesburg
08 May 2006

Former South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma has been found not guilty of raping² a 31-year-old family friend. 

Jacob Zuma, bottom right, sits in  dock as his supporters react after Zuma was found not guilty for rape³ in Johannesburg High Court  
  
Judge Willem van der Merwe said that the sexual encounter between Jacob Zuma and the woman who accused him of rape could have been consensual.

"In my judgment⁴, the state has not proved the accused's guilt¹ beyond a reasonable doubt," he said. "The accused is found not guilty."

Zuma supporters on the streets and inside the court erupted with jubilation⁵. Zuma spoke⁶ briefly⁷ to the crowds, thanking them for their support and saying that he is not a cruel or violent man.

The judge explained that based on the psychological evidence presented in court, there are several reasons why the complainant may have made a false accusation⁸.

"The complainant has experienced previous trauma⁹, and it is quite possible that she perceives any sexual behavior as threatening. It is quite possible that after intercourse¹⁰ had taken place, there was the feeling of guilt, resentment¹¹, anger and emotional turmoil," he concluded.

The judge said he did not accept the complainant's testimony¹² that she would never have unprotected sex, nor that, even though she testified she is a lesbian, that she had not had sexual encounters with other men in the past five years.

"From the aforegoing, it is clear that the probabilities show the complainant's evidence cannot be accepted," he said. "She is a strong person, well in control of herself, knowing what she wants. She is definitely not that mild and submissive person she was made out to be."

Judge van der Merwe also said that Zuma was clear and convincing in his testimony. But, he was severely¹³ critical of Zuma for having sex with his accuser. He said that Zuma should never have had sex with someone so much younger than him who is HIV-positive and who is the daughter of an old, deceased, friend.

"It is totally unacceptable that a man should have unprotected sex with a person other than his regular partner, and definitely not with a person who, to his knowledge, is HIV-positive," he commented. "Had Rudyard Kipling known of this case at the time he wrote his poem, 'If', he might have added the following: And if you can control your body and your sexual urges, then you are a man, my son."

Overall the judge was dismissive of the case presented by the prosecution¹⁴, being especially critical of the senior police officers who handled the investigation¹⁵, saying they had attempted to entrap¹⁶ Zuma and had violated his constitutional rights. He offered frequent praise for the defense¹⁷ advocate and witnesses.

1 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

2 raping   

v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的现在分词 )；强奸

参考例句：

• In response, Charles VI sent a punitive expedition to Brittany, raping and killing the populace. 作为报复，查理六世派军讨伐布列塔尼，奸淫杀戮平民。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The conquerors marched on, burning, killing, raping and plundering as they went. 征服者所到之处烧杀奸掠，无所不做。 来自互联网

3 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

4 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

5 jubilation   

n.欢庆，喜悦

参考例句：

• The goal was greeted by jubilation from the home fans.主场球迷为进球欢呼。
• The whole city was a scene of jubilation.全市一片欢腾。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

8 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

9 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

10 intercourse   

n.性交；交流，交往，交际

参考例句：

• The magazine becomes a cultural medium of intercourse between the two peoples.该杂志成为两民族间文化交流的媒介。
• There was close intercourse between them.他们过往很密。

11 resentment   

n.怨愤，忿恨

参考例句：

• All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
• She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。

12 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

13 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

14 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

15 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

16 entrap   

v.以网或陷阱捕捉，使陷入圈套

参考例句：

• The police have been given extra powers to entrap drug traffickers.警方已经被进一步授权诱捕毒贩。
• He overturned the conviction,saying the defendant was entrapped.他声称被告是被诱骗的，从而推翻了有罪的判决。

17 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。