Zuma Foundation Issues Bruising Attack on S. Africa’s Top Court

(Bloomberg) --

South Africa's Constitutional Court came under attack from former President Jacob Zuma again when his foundation issued a statement late Wednesday accusing the majority of justices of acting contrary to the rule of law when they sentenced him to 15 months in prison for contempt.

The judgment, delivered by acting Chief Justice Sisi Khampepe, was “judicially emotional and angry”, the foundation said in a two-page statement posted on Twitter. “The majority judges breached the Constitution and their oath of office.”

The Constitutional Court sentenced Zuma to jail for showing contempt and defying its order to testify before a judicial panel probing corruption during his tenure. The government estimates that more than 500 billion rand ($35 billion) was stolen from state coffers under his watch, and dozens of witnesses have placed him at the center of the looting spree.

Read: Law Catches Up With Scandal-Tainted Ex-South African Leader Zuma

The nation's top court didn't act independently and without bias or show unremitting fidelity to the law, the foundation said, adding that it denounces the judgment.

Zuma, who has previously denied wrongdoing, is due to hand himself in to the police by Sunday to start his prison term.

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