A South African judicial panel said it would lodge a criminal complaint against former President Jacob Zuma over his failure to appear during his reign before an investigation into state corruption.
According to Bloomberg, the complaint is being lodged after Zuma failed to heed summonses last month to apply to the so-called Zondo Committee, the panel said in a statement Tuesday. On Monday, Zuma said that he would defy the order of the Constitutional Court to meet with the inquiry and that he would rather go to jail than testify.
“The commission is concerned that Mr. Zuma’s decision to defy the order of the Constitutional Court displays a complete disregard for the rights and interests that South Africans have,” the panel said.
At the inquiry commission on Feb. 15, Zuma is expected to testify. On that day, the panel said it would announce what additional steps it expects to take if he does not appear.
