South Africa’s Constitutional Court on Tuesday sentenced former president Jacob Zuma to 15 months in prison for contempt of court after he repeatedly ignored an earlier court order to appear before a panel probing high-level corruption during his time in office.
Delivering the judgement, acting Deputy Chief Justice Sisi Khampepe said Zuma had undermined the rule of law by refusing to comply with summons to testify before the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture.
“It is disturbing that he who twice sought allegiance to the republic, its laws and its constitution has sought to ignore, undermine and in many ways destroy the rule of law altogether,” Khampepe said.
Zuma has defied a Constitutional Court order issued in January that called on him to heed directives from the Zondo commission to appear before the probe team, and at one time dared the court to send him to jail, arguing that he would never testify before the commission.
According to Khampepe, the former president had exhibited a casual and “scandalous” attitude towards the judiciary, a behaviour for which he should be punished.
Khampepe said Zuma has five days to present himself to the police station near his Nkundla rural home or in Johannesburg.
JN/APA