Zuma poised to make 11th-hour bid to stay out of jail

Former president Jacob Zuma has briefed his lawyer Dali Mpofu and would be filing an application on Friday for his jail sentence to be rescinded, according to two independent sources.

The Constitutional Court on Tuesday found that Zuma was in contempt of court and ordered him to hand himself over to police by Sunday. Acting deputy chief justice Sisi Khampepe signed a warrant for Zuma’s committal on Wednesday.

Zuma was found guilty of contempt of court after failing to comply with an earlier order to give further evidence at the state capture commission. Zuma walked out of the commission during an earlier appearance and failed to return despite a lawful summons.

He also declined to participate in the application to compel him to heed the commission’s summons or in the application that he be held in contempt of court. He further failed to attend the Constitutional Court hearing on an appropriate penalty for contempt.

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