FUL: Zondo commission could lay criminal charge against Zuma
Freedom Under Law says former president Jacob Zuma could end up behind bars if he makes good on his threat not to testify at the commission of inquiry into state capture.
Zuma has indicated that he does not intend on complying with a Constitutional Court ruling forcing him to appear and testify at the commission.
Last month Zuma staged a walkout at the commission, after his bid to have chairperson Raymond Zondo to recuse himself failed.
Zondo approached the apex court to force to not only appear before him but to testify.
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Freedom Under Law's CEO Nicole Fritz believes Zuma has gone too far.
"When he took office as president of our country he promised to be faithful to the republic and to obey, observe, uphold and maintain the Constitution and all other law.
"Many witnesses have told the Zondo commission that he and his associates have breached each of those promises.”
She says Zuma has used every tactic in the book to evade facing the law.
"Instead of complying with its simple instruction, Mr Zuma has now resorted to his well-worn defence of victimhood wrapped in populism.
"This time, though, it is breath taking in its presumption. Mr Zuma not only blames the dismissal of each of his lawyers’ evasive tactics on dishonest judges but seriously equates his fear of the witness stand with the heroic battle for freedom and justice of the late Robert Sobukwe.
"This is bare-faced effrontery, even for Mr Zuma’s spin-doctors.”
She says if Zuma decides to not testify, the commission will be forced to lay a criminal charge against him.
"At this point, if he makes good on his statement then he will be in violation of the law and the commission is then empowered to lay a criminal complaint and that would result in his arrest and prosecution.”
