South Africa’s highest court on Tuesday announced its verdict regarding the former country’s leader, Jacob Zuma. The ex-President sentenced to 15 months in prison for failing to appear at a corruption inquiry.
Mr Zuma failed to appear at the inquiry led by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo in February. Later, he and his legal team approached the constitutional court to seek an order for his imprisonment. Taking into account another aspect like Zuma appeared to run out of options in his battle to escape prosecution, the court sentenced him to 15 months of imprisonment.
Ironically, the Anti-Corruption Commission was launched by Mr Zuma himself during his final days in office, has for nearly three years listened to testimony on how the former head of the state and his government allegedly allowed well-connected businessmen and foreign companies to score overpriced government contracts in return for payments and other favours.
Political power for lucrative contracts
During the hearings, one witness in 2019 recounted how he handed out funds like “Monopoly money” to members of the ruling African National Congress, which Jacob Zuma led until 2017, in return for lucrative contracts. Other officials testified how they were removed when they tried to stand up against corruption, WSJ reported on Tuesday.
Findings from the Commission and other investigations have prompted several multinational companies, including US consulting firm McKinsey & Co., to repay tens of millions of dollars they earned from contracts now believed to be tainted.
