South African President, Jacob Zuma, said on Thursday that an inquiry into an arms deal worth about 5 billion dollars had found no evidence of corruption.

A commission of inquiry was set up in 2011 to look into a 1999 arms deal including the purchase of military aircraft and naval vessels from several European countries.

Zuma was sacked as deputy president in 2005 after his financial advisor was convicted of corruption in the affair.

The commission has now found that the widespread allegations of bribery, corruption and fraud in the arms procurement process had found no support or corroboration in the evidence,” Zuma said in a statement.

Zuma’s African National Congress party recently defeated impeachment proceedings launched against him by the opposition in parliament over the Nkandla corruption affair.

He alleged of unduly used millions of dollars in taxpayers’ money to upgrade his rural homestead.

Zuma apologised to the nation on television, but denied any conscious wrongdoing. (dpa/NAN)