By Arthur Madumere, Owerri.
A judge in South Africa has issued a bench warrant of arrest on a former president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, over his inability to honour a subsisting court summons.
Justice Raymond Zondo, a deputy chief justice, issued the warrant over Mr. Zuma’s continuous defying of the constitutional court’s summons, IgbereTv learnt.
An official inquiry into “state capture” in South Africa will be filing papers against ex-president Jacob Zuma for allegations that he presided over a wide ranging network of corruption while he was president. For the focus of the inquiry, it is alleged that his allies used their close relationship to him, to win lucrative state contracts, and exerts undue influence over state matters.
But justice Zondo seems to have run out of patience as he was said to be visibly upset by the no-show and said Mr. Zuma defiance had far-reaching implications for the law and could not be left unchallenged.
He added that an application would be made to the constitutional court to file contempt of court and for him to be sentenced to a jail term.
Mr. Zuma has claimed that deputy chief justice Zondo is biased against him -and should therefore recuse himself- but has not provided any evidence to corroborate such alleged bias.
Fourty witnesses have given evidence against Mr. Zuma, who denies any wrongdoing.
