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A South African high court on Friday rejected a final legal offer from former President Jacob Zuma to avoid jail for refusing to appear before corruption investigators.
The decision marks the final judgment in a long-running drama against Zuma, although it doesn’t change his situation as he has already started serving his sentence.
Zuma went to jail early Thursday to begin a 15-month sentence for contempt of court.
He faced a deadline of midnight Wednesday to surrender or face arrest – a threat he disputed in the High Court in Pietermaritzburg.
The offer was rejected by Judge Bhekisisa Mnguni, who heard arguments from Zuma’s lawyers on Monday.
“I am not persuaded that Mr. Zuma pleaded for this tribunal to grant the relief requested,” he said.
He also said his court was not empowered to interfere with decisions of the Constitutional Court, the country’s highest judicial body.
“What (…) this request seeks to accomplish is to entangle this tribunal in judicial adventurism,” he said, adding that Zuma’s concerns about his health were “not substantiated. by no evidence “.
The 79-year-old’s arguments were based on the mistaken charge that an “unprecedented and incorrect procedure” had been followed, he said.
“Unsurprisingly … the rest of Mr. Zuma’s case then collapses like a deck of cards,” he said.
Zuma separately asked the Constitutional Court to quash the imprisonment order issued against him.
This plea will be heard in Johannesburg on Monday.
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