Jacob Zuma: Cele Says He Will Obey ConCourt Order and Not Face Contempt Charges
- Police Minister Bheki Cele and Police Commissioner Khehla Sitole have stated that they will not be charged for failing to arrest former president Jacob Zuma
- Cele was asked about being held accountable and in contempt of court for not following a ConCourt ruling but said he was not prepared to be charged
- Sitole is in the same boat as Cele as he remains the minister's right-hand man and thus faces similar charges
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Police Minister Bheki Cele said he will not go down for not enforcing the warrant of arrest for former president Jacob Zuma. The SAPS have until midnight on Wednesday to arrest the former president but the possibility of being charged for not doing so is a risk Cele is not willing to take.
When asked if he was aware that he could be held in contempt of court for not following through with the warrant, he said he was not prepared to be charged and would not disobey the court order.
The South African Police Service top cop and Commissioner Khehla Sitole is in the same predicament as he was Cele's right-hand man and faces the same charges.
Source: Getty Images
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Cele made the utterances when questioned by News24 on the eve of the deadline given to police to arrest Zuma by midnight on Wednesday.
Last week, the Constitutional Court’s full bench came to the unanimous decision to find Zuma guilty of contempt for defying a previous order to appear before the State Capture Inquiry and answer non-incriminating questions, reported TimesLIVE.
The majority of the justices of SA's highest court in the land sentenced Zuma to 15 months in jail. The decision has sparked much controversy and public outcry from Zuma loyalists, many of whom have camped around his homestead in Nkandla.
The supporters have displayed aggression and dissatisfaction with both the police and SA's systems.
Bheki Cele puts the brakes on Zuma's arrest pending the ConCourt challenge
Briefly News reported that Cele and 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. Minister Cele disputed claims that the police is afraid of the former president's supporters who have been gathered outside his homestead in Nkandla.
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Source: Briefly News
