By Kaya 959 News
The Constitutional Court says there is “no doubt” that Jacob Zuma was in contempt of court when he refused to appear before the Zondo Commission.
Justice Sisi Khampepe handed down the ConCourt’s judgement on Tuesday morning.
She said the former president blatantly violated the order of the court, noting that Zuma stated that he would rather go to jail than testify.
Khampepe said that an “unsuspended order of incarceration is the only option”.
The ConCourt sentenced Zuma to an unsuspended prison sentence of 15 months.
#JacobZuma The Consitutional Court has found former President Jacob Zuma guilty of contempt of court, and has also been sentenced to 15 months behind bars. @KayaNews
— Kat Sekhotho (@KatSekhotho) June 29, 2021
Khampepe further stated that Zuma’s conduct “smacks of malice”, and “no person is above the law”.
She said Zuma has five calendar days to hand himself over to police officials in Nkandla or Johannesburg.
The Minister of Police has been instructed to “take all steps that are necessary” to ensure that Zuma is delivered to a correctional centre.
Not mincing her words, Justice Sisi Khampepe has further outlined that it would be futile to give Zuma a suspended sentence, as the former President has on many occasions expressed that he would rather go to jail then work with the judiciary. #JacobZuma @KayaNews
— Kat Sekhotho (@KatSekhotho) June 29, 2021
READ: Norma Mngoma spills the tea at the Zondo Commission
Zuma’s no show slammed by commission
The State Capture Commission of Inquiry approached the ConCourt in February after the former president refused to appear before the commission.
Zuma was scheduled to testify at the commission earlier this year, but he was a no-show.
It was the third time in a row that the 79-year-old had ignored a summons.
The commission described his actions as disrespectful. It asked the ConCourt to impose a two-year sentence if Zuma is found guilty of being in contempt.
The Jacob Zuma Foundation, meanwhile, has repeatedly defended him.
“We stand by Jacob Zuma and commend him for his firm stance of walking away from the State Capture Inquiry – which has been a comedy of errors, floundering from one error to the next,” the foundation said late last year.
READ: Watch: Julius Malema arrives in Nkandla for meeting with Jacob Zuma
Main image credit: Twitter/@PresJGZuma