Defense lawyers battled Friday to acquit former Deputy President Zuma of rape, calling his accuser a liar. Kemp said Zuma once seen as South Africa's likely next president was the victim of an elaborate set-up. Mbeki fired Zuma as Deputy President last year amid a separate corruption scandal. Zuma attributes the rape and corruption scandal to conspiracy by his political enemies to end his hopes of becoming president.

Kemp went over the testimony of a number of people who claimed the woman made false rape allegations against them. He said she denied making the allegations under cross-examination last month, and the reason was because she had made false rape allegations so many times for her to remember.

According to Kemp, she had made false allegations of rape against seven men, excluding Zuma, and had made false allegations of attempted rape against two men. Kemp asked Willem van der Merwe, the presiding judge, to believe the defense's witnesses saying they were "good witnesses".

Zuma defense team conceded he had sex with the woman, but described it as consensual. They questioned the way she behaved after the alleged rape at Zuma’s home in November last year. Kemp spoke of "peculiarities" in the prosecution's case, notably that the accuser seemed to have agreed to a massage and stayed overnight at Zuma's home after the alleged rape.

Defense rejected prosecution's contention as part of its proof the woman was raped that she would not have had unprotected sex, They argued there was no suggestion the woman was physically injured, harmed nor her clothes torn during the alleged rape.

“The one in any obvious danger is the accused,” said Kemp. “Normally the roles are the other way around. In this case ... he is in danger of getting a mortal disease if he gets injured,” he continued. Zuma testified he took a long hot shower after the encounter in order to minimize contracting the HIV virus. Kemp argued that seeing Zuma wash away all traces of the woman could have caused “simmering resentment” by her.

The judge under South Africa's non-jury trial system decides cases. Judge Willem van der Merwe earlier ruled Zuma trial verdict could be televised. That verdict is expected within days of the end of closing arguments on Tuesday.

Zuma's trial on corruption charges is due to begin in July.

Photo Above: A supporter of former South African Deputy-President Jacob Zuma blows into a condom outside Johannesburg High Court in South Africa. Zuma is accused of raping a 31-year-old AIDS activist in his house.