Ex-president Jacob Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in prison by South Africa's highest court on Tuesday for failing to appear at a corruption investigation, as Zuma looked to have run out of options in his fight to avoid prosecution.
In February, the former leader refused to appear at an inquiry conducted by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, prompting the inquiry's lawyers to petition the constitutional court for an order imprisoning him.
“Because there is no higher court to appeal to, he has exhausted all of his (legal) options. The constitutional court is usually the last resort, according to Amanda Gouws, a political science lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch.
She stated, "They have finally said 'enough is enough."
Zuma, who was 79 at the time, was deposed in 2018 by allies of his successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa. Since then, he has been the target of aggressive legal action aimed at bringing him to justice for alleged massive corruption both during and before his tenure in office.
The so-called Zondo commission is one of them, as is a second court action involving a $2 billion armaments sale struck in 1999, while Zuma was vice president.
During Zuma's time in power, from 2009 to 2018, the Zondo probe is looking into claims of high-level fraud involving three Indian tycoons. Zuma denies any wrongdoing and has refused to assist thus far.
He has five days to appear in front of the cops.
‘Insult’
“His attempts to evoke public sympathy through unfounded allegations fly in the face of reason, and are an insult to the constitutional dispensation for which so many women and men fought and died,” the judge said in response to Zuma's 21-page letter to the country's chief justice, in which he claimed to have been treated unfairly.
“If his actions are met with impunity, he will do significant harm to the rule of law,” she continued.
Zuma's lawyers would review the constitutional court verdict before delivering a statement, a spokeswoman for Zuma told eNCA television.
Zuma is accused of allowing businessmen close to him, including brothers Atul, Ajay, and Rajesh Gupta, to loot state funds and influence policy.
After Zuma's departure, the Guptas, who also deny involvement, left South Africa.
President Ramaphosa has been working hard to re-establish investor trust in Africa's most developed country. He has, however, met criticism from a faction of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) that remains loyal to Zuma.
An ANC spokesman could not be reached for comment on Tuesday's court decision.
