Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. Picture: Karen Sandison/African News Agency
The chairperson of the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, has announced his decision to lay a criminal charge against former president Jacob Zuma.
This after Zuma walked out on the commission last week.
During a brief statement on Monday, Zondo confirmed that he directed the commission’s secretary Professor Itumeleng Mosala to lay a charge after Zuma left the commission without Zondo’s permission, in the wake of his dismissal of Zuma’s application for the chair to recuse himself.
Zondo said that he would determine new dates for the former president to testify at the commission.
The chairperson further said he would also approach the Constitutional Court for an urgent order compelling Zuma to appear before the commission, in accordance with the summons issued last month.
Background
Zondo had previously issued a summons against Zuma to appear before the commission from 16 November to 20 November.
The matter prompted Zuma to file an application for Zondo to recuse himself from the commission before he could appear after he claimed that he and the deputy chief justice were friends, and that Zondo had fathered a child with a sister of one of his wives.
However, Zondo denied that there was a friendship between him and Zuma.
Meanwhile, the Jacob Zuma Foundation released a statement last Friday supporting Zuma’s decision to walk out of the commission, claiming the former president was facing criminal proceedings plotted by Zondo, assisted by advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi.
The foundation had questioned the presence of Ngcukaitobi in Zondo’s chambers last Thursday.
“We are also gravely concerned at the reports that when Zuma’s legal team went to see the chairperson in chambers, they found the chairperson with Ngcukaitobi SC, whose role in the chairperson’s chambers was not explained. It is disturbing that the chairperson allowed such irregularities to occur in this matter,” reads the statement.
“We call on all supporters of Zuma as he faces criminal proceedings being plotted by the evidence leaders and the chairperson irregularly assisted by Ngcukaitobi SC, who also represents other parties appearing before the same commission.”
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema criticised the foundation, saying they should know better than to expose lawyers to danger by naming them.
The National Association of Democratic Lawyers has also defended Ngcukaitobi and Advocate Paul Pretorius SC, following the foundation’s statement.
“Apart from being devoid of fact and logic, these attacks are also unfortunate. We trust that the foundation will in due course reflect on this and issue proper retractions and apologies,” it said.
Watch the proceedings live below:
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
