South Africa’s untouchable former president Jacob Zuma was finally sentenced on Tuesday to 15 months in prison for contempt of court after repeatedly trying and using subterfuge to avoid testifying at a state corruption investigation hearing. This is unprecedented in South Africa!
For the Constitutional Court, Jacob Zuma’s refusal to cooperate with the anti-corruption commission while publicly defending himself was undoubtedly a contempt of court and thus sentenced him to 15 months in prison.
Elected president in 2009 and forced to step down in 2018, Zuma maintains his innocence, especially for allegedly helping the three Gupta brothers enrich themselves at the expense of the state, the names of several wealthy Indian-origin businessmen who kept appearing at the Anti-Corruption Commission’s hearings, which were led by prosecutor Raymond Zondo, a conclusive mega-reveal. Dozens of parliamentarians, business leaders, civil servants and former ministers have been summoned for questioning; some of them have explained in detail how the 6 billion euros were transferred from the state treasury to private individuals.
Zuma, 79, who has been ordered to repay 15 million euros of public money used to renovate his private home, has five days to report to the police, after which time the police will be allowed to go to his home and take him to jail.
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