STAFF REPORTER|
FORMER President Jacob Zuma’s refusal to appear before it was no ordinary contempt of court, said the state capture commission in papers to the Constitutional Court on Monday.
“It is a unique and extreme case of contempt of court, for which there is no meaningful precedent,” said the commission.
The commission filed its legal argument in its application to the ConCourt to have the former president held in contempt and sentenced to two years in prison.
This came after Zuma did not turn up at the inquiry in February, despite a ConCourt order to obey the commission’s summons.
There is no doubt that Zuma is in contempt of court, according to the commission.
Zuma’s “insults” via public statements were an aggravating factor in determining this, the commission said.
“In these statements, Mr Zuma has aggravated his offence of contempt by insulting this court, the commission and the judiciary at large in a manner that appears calculated to bring the judicial process into disrepute.
“We do not ask this court to decide whether Mr Zuma committed the offence of scandalising the court. We submit that Mr Zuma’s statements are an aggravating factor in his offence of contempt of court.”
“The statements have been issued, their meaning is plain, and they have not been explained by Mr Zuma before this court. By issuing these statements, Mr Zuma sought both to publicise and justify his defiance of this court’s order and the commission.”
- Inside Politics
