The Pietermaritzburg High Court has reserved judgment in the application to drop corruption and racketeering charges against arms manufacturer Thales.
The French company is charged alongside former president Jacob Zuma in the arms deal corruption trial.
The state has argued that the impact of the death of two Thales directors implicated with former president Jacob Zuma in corruption must be weighed up at the end of the criminal trial.
The directors, Thetard and Moynot, died in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
Presiding Judge Nkosinathi Chili earlier dismissed Zumas application for leave to appeal the courts decision not to remove Advocate Billy Downer from the case.