He will now spend the next 15 months in prison for contempt of court after he refused to appear at a government-appointed commission investigating alleged corruption during his nine years in office. He subsequently failed to obey an order by South Africa’s highest court to appear at the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into allegations of corruption. In January, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad, lamented the flagrant disobedience to court orders by highly placed persons, saying, “Obedience of lawful court orders has no alternative in any sane society. The judiciary must assert its authority by ensuring that court orders are obeyed to the letter. When the public believes that judgments could go to the highest bidder, it becomes difficult for court pronouncements to be obeyed.

Source: Punch July 03, 2021 23:35 UTC