Former South African President Jacob Zuma has turned himself in to a prison to serve his 15-month prison sentence. The police confirm this after a message from Zuma’s foundation.
Last week, Zuma was sentenced by the Constitutional Court to 15 months in prison for contempt of court. The verdict states that he has tried to ignore, undermine or even destroy the rule of law in all kinds of ways. Zuma, 79, refused to appear at a hearing on corruption charges during his presidency from 2009 to 2018.
After the verdict, his lawyers tried to prevent the ANC politician from actually ending up in prison. On Saturday, the Constitutional Court suspended the prison sentence is still temporary, so that the former president could present his objections to the sentence to the court.
Deadline until midnight
Later, the court ruled that Zuma really had to go to jail and gave him until midnight to report. If he didn’t do so voluntarily, the police could arrest him right after midnight.
Fourteen minutes before the deadline, his foundation announced that Zuma had decided to comply with the incarceration order and that he was on his way to prison.
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