Zuma, Zondo legal standoff continues as former president told: Testify or face arrest
The commission says Jacob Zuma is obliged to comply with the summons issued for him to appear before it because it remains valid.
Former president Jacob Zuma before his application to have State Capture Commission chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, recuse himself on 17 November 2020. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
Jacob Zuma’s attorney, Eric Mabuza, says he is yet to discuss with his client the letter the secretary of the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture wrote to Zuma reminding the former president that he is obliged to appear before the inquiry next week because the summons issued against him has not been withdrawn.
Mabuza confirmed on Tuesday morning that he has received the letter from the commission’s secretary, Itumeleng Mosala, which states that because the summons remains valid, Zuma is still obliged to appear before the commission’s chair, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, even if the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) has not handed down its judgement in Mosala’s urgent application to compel Zuma to comply with the summons.
Mabuza said he could not comment further on the letter he said he received on Tuesday.
In the letter, Mosala reminded the former president that his failure to comply with the summons would constitute a criminal offence.
ALSO READ: Penalty or imprisonment: What awaits Zuma for ditching Zondo Commission?
Last year, Zondo issued a summons directing Zuma to appear before the commission from 18 January to 22 January 2021 and from 15 February to 19 February 2021.
On 29 December 2020, the ConCourt heard the commission’s application for the court to compel the former president to appear before Zondo.
Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, for the commission, had argued that Zondo had “bent over backwards” to accommodate Zuma so he could testify at the inquiry and so the court should rule in the inquiry’s favour and compel Zuma to appear before commission.
ALSO READ: ConCourt hears how Zondo has ‘bent over backwards’ to accommodate Zuma
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