South Africa’s ex president, Jacob Zuma, has been sentenced to 15 months by the highest court in the country. He was sentenced today, for contempt of court after he failed to appear at a corruption inquiry sometime this year.
Zuma failed to appear at the inquiry led by deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo in February, this made the inquiry’s lawyers seek a court order for his imprisonment.
The inquiry is examining allegations of high-level graft during Zuma’s period in power from 2009 to 2018. He has pleaded not guilty and has so far not co-operated.
“Mr Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is sentenced to undergo 15 months’ imprisonment. He has to appear before police within five days,” a constitutional court judge said, reading out the court’s order.
Zuma, 79, who was the president for nearly nine years until 2018, was not present to hear the South African constitutional court deliver its ruling and sentence. The judge ordered the former president to hand himself in within five days.
Judge Sisi Khampepe said: “The constitutional court can do nothing but conclude that Mr Zuma is guilty of the crime of contempt of court.”
“This kind of recalcitrance and defiance is unlawful and will be punished. 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 inquiry was set up by Zuma while in power, though under pressure due to numerous scandals, just before he was removed in 2018 by the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
But he testified only once, in July 2019, before staging a walkout days later. He ignored several invitations to reappear, citing medical reasons and preparations for another corruption trial.
Most of the alleged corruption under investigation by the commission involves three brothers from a wealthy Indian business family, the Guptas, who won lucrative government contracts and were allegedly even able to choose cabinet ministers.
Zuma is separately facing 16 charges of fraud, graft and racketeering relating to the 1999 purchase of fighter jets, patrol boats and military gear from five European arms firms for 30bn rand, then the equivalent of nearly $5bn. At the time of the purchase, Zuma was president Thabo Mbeki’s deputy.
