Cape Town – South Africa’s ex-president Jacob Zuma handed himself in to police late on Wednesday to start serving a 15-month sentence for contempt of court, his foundation said.
“Please be advised that President Zuma has decided to comply with the incarceration order. He is on his way to hand himself into a Correctional Services Facility in KZN (Kwazulu-Natal province),” the foundation tweeted.
Dear South Africans and the World.
Please be advised that President Zuma has decided to comply with the incarceration order.
He is on his way to hand himself into a Correctional Services Facility in KZN.
A full statement will be issued in due course.#WenzenuZuma— JGZuma Foundation (Official) (@JGZ_Foundation) July 7, 2021
In a historic ruling, the Constitutional Court last week handed Zuma a 15-month term for snubbing anti-graft investigators.
Police had earlier on Wednesday warned they were prepared to arrest the former president by a midnight deadline to enforce the ruling, unless the top court instructed otherwise.
A convoy of cars believed to be carrying Zuma drove out of his homestead about 40 minutes before the cut-off for him to give himself up.
What just happened????? #ZumaArrest pic.twitter.com/Ibfjo9OzlD
— Yolanda (@YollzFuze) July 7, 2021
Zuma had mounted a last-ditch legal defence and refused to turn himself in by Sunday night as the court ordered. Under the ruling, police were given three days to arrest him if he failed to surrender.
In a letter earlier on Wednesday, he had pleaded with the court for an 11th-hour reprieve.
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Source: AFP
Picture: Getty Images
