BREAKING: Former President Faces Jail Sentence

Former President Faces Jail Sentence.

OnyxNews Nigeria quotes reports by SaharaReporters saying that former South African President, Jacob Zuma will be facing jail term after failing to appear at anti-corruption inquiry.

Former President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma faces jail term.

In a report by BBC, a South African judge says he wants former President Jacob Zuma to be given a jail sentence for failing to appear before him to answer corruption allegations.

The 79-year-old ignored a call to appear before a commission of inquiry being led by Justice Ray Zondo.

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The judge said Zuma’s defiance could lead to lawlessness, and he would ask South Africa’s highest court to convict the ex-president of contempt.

Zuma said he believed that Justice Zondo was biased against him.

He previously asked the judge to step down as chair of the inquiry.

Justice Zondo rejected the request, and said he was doing his job impartially.

At least 40 witnesses have implicated Zuma in corruption.

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Among the allegations against him is that during his term in office, he allowed the wealthy Gupta family to plunder state resources and to influence policy and cabinet appointments.

Both Zuma and the Guptas deny any wrongdoing.

The Constitutional Court ruled last month that Zuma was compelled to appear before the commission.

Following his non-appearance on Monday, Justice Zondo said everyone was equal before the law and if Zuma was allowed to defy the courts it would have far-reaching implications for democracy.

Zuma has not commented since the judge’s ruling, but has previously said he is not afraid to go to jail.

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But some of his supporters, dressed in military fatigue, have marched outside his rural home, promising to protect him.

Zuma was forced to step down as president in 2018 after being dogged by allegations of corruption throughout his nine years in tenure.

His successor, Cyril Ramaphosa, took over from Zuma on a vow to fight the issue.

In an extraordinary display of contempt for the rule of law in South Africa, the former president defied both a legal summons, and a ruling by the country’s Constitutional Court.

Instead of answering dozens of allegations of corruption made against him by witnesses at a public inquiry, Mr Zuma chose to stay at his rural home, guarded by supporters who said they would fight to prevent his arrest.

The inquiry’s judge – quietly furious – said he would now seek a prison sentence for Mr Zuma, for contempt of court.

That would be a truly seismic moment for this young democracy.