Jacob Zuma: Bheki Cele Puts Brakes on Former President's Impending Arrest
- The Police Minister and Commissioner have both stated that they will not be arresting Jacob Zuma until his contempt challenge of the ConCourt ruling is finalised
- Zuma, at the moment, is challenging the 15-month jail sentence he was handed by the Constitutional Court for going against its order to give evidence before the Zondo Commission
- Bheki Cele and Khehla Sitole had both been informed to arrest Zuma before Wednesday if he had not handed himself over to police before the end of the weekend
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Police Minister Bheki Cele and National Police Commissioner Khehla Sitole have spoken to Chief Justice Raymond Zondo about former president Jacob Zuma's arrest. Cele and Khehla stated that they will not be arresting Zuma until his contempt challenge has been finalised.
The former president is currently challenging his 15-month jail sentence after the Constitutional Court last week pushed forward the motion that he needed to be incarcerated for failing to adhere to its ruling.
The ConCourt ordered both Cele and Sitole to make sure that Msholozi was arrested by this Wednesday if he had not handed himself over to police by this past Sunday.
Source: Getty Images
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On Tuesday, 6 July, Zuma is reportedly going to the High Court in Pietermaritzburg, KZN to have the execution of the aforementioned order stayed until his application for the rescission of the ConCourt's contempt ruling is gone through, according to News24.
Minister Cele disputed claims that the police is afraid of the former president's supporters who have been gathered outside his homestead in Nkandla. EWN reported that around 200 officers and special forces were sent out to maintain law and order, however, transgressors had no action take them.
Zondo Commission lashes out at Jacob Zuma by accusing the ex-president of abusing the courts
Briefly News reported that the Zondo Commission has chastised Jacob Zuma in their answering affidavit following the former president's recession application. Zuma has in effect put forward a request to the court to set aside both the contempt of court order and the prison sentence, which if denied, could see him sent to prison for the next 15-months.
The Constitutional Court (ConCourt) on 29 June found Zuma guilty of contempt of court after he refused a previous order to appear at the State Capture Inquiry. The country's apex court has since agreed to hear Zuma’s application for a rescission of his sentence on Monday, 12 July.
The Zondo Commission is not satisfied with this latest development and has stated that Zuma's insistence to have his sentence stayed should not be entertained any longer. It further stated that his abuse of the courts should "not be entertained" any longer.
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Source: Briefly News
