South Africa’s police say they will not make any move to arrest ex-president Jacob Zuma, who has been handed a 15-month jail term for contempt, until he has fully exhausted his legal battle against the sentence, a document showed Tuesday.
WITHIN NIGERIA had reported that Zuma was on Tuesday, June 29, sentenced to 15 months in prison for contempt of court.
Judge Sisi Khampepe, who delivered the judgment, said Zuma was found guilty of contempt of court following his refusal to appear before a graft panel.
Following the development, Zuma mounted a two-pronged last-ditch attempt to avoid the jail term given to him by the Constitutional Court, the country’s top judicial authority.
On Friday, he rushed to court seeking to halt the execution of the arrest order in a suit that is due to be heard on Tuesday in the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
However, the police, while giving reasons why the former President is yet to be arrested in a statement said they will pause on the order to arrest Zuma until he has fully exhausted his legal options.
“Out of respect (for) the unfolding litigation processes, (the police will) hold further actions they are expected to take in terms of the honorable court’s orders in abeyance, pending the finalisation of the litigation,” the statement said.
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