Judge in South African case steps down

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- The South African judge presiding over the rape trial of former Deputy President Jacob Zuma has stepped down.

Defense lawyers argued Bernard Ngoepe might be biased because of his involvement in a separate corruption case involving Zuma, the BBC reported.

Zuma is accused of raping a woman at his home in Johannesburg last November. He has denied the charges.

Zuma's supporters say he is the victim of a political conspiracy and have accused the judicial system of bias, the BBC said.