South Africa's former president Jacob Zuma
A court in South Africa has jailed the country's former president Jacob Zuma to 15-month jail term for contempt after he refused to appear before an anti-graft panel.
“The Constitutional Court can do nothing but conclude that Mr. Zuma is guilty of the crime of contempt of court,” judge Sisi Khampepe said.
The 79-year-old former president has serially been
Read full articlecited in complicity in the plunder of state coffers during his stay in office spanning nearly a decade.
His relation with the Guptas - a wealthy Indian family - during his time in office birthed allegations of state capture, as Zuma was accused of handing control of the executive to the family.
“This kind of recalcitrance and defiance is unlawful and will be punished,” Khampepe said.
“I am left with no option but to commit Mr. Zuma to imprisonment, with the hope that doing so sends an unequivocal message… the rule of law and the administration of justice prevails.”
“The majority judgment orders an unsuspended sentence of imprisonment for a period (of 15 months),” the judge added before ordering Zuma to hand himself over within five days.
The panel Zuma refused to appear before is the State Capture enquiry led by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
The panel was set up by Zuma himself, under pressure over mounting scandals, shortly before he was ousted in 2018 by the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
