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PRETORIA. – South African police said yesterday they were ready to arrest former president Jacob Zuma, who has been slapped with a 15-month jail term, unless ordered otherwise by the country’s top court.

On Tuesday, lawyers for the police wrote to the Constitutional Court seeking to pause an order to arrest Zuma given what they called the “unique situation.”

Yesterday, the police minister’s spokesperson, Lirandzu Themba, said, “If we don’t hear anything from the Constitutional Court – which we haven’t heard so far – we have until midnight tonight to execute the order.”

“I’m not prepared to be charged for contempt of court,”  Cele was quoted as saying.

Zuma did not turn himself in on Sunday on the grounds that he had mounted a two-pronged defence against the jail ordeer.

The Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday heard a first application to halt execution of the imminent arrest. A ruling is expected tomorrow. – ENCA.com