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The fate of former ANC big wig John Block has been sealed as the highest court in the country ruled that he will this week have to hand himself over to begin his prison sentence.
The Constitutional Court dismissed his application for leave to appeal his 15-year sentence for corruption and money laundering on Monday, EWN reported on Tuesday.
Block and businessman Christo Scholtz were expected to hand themselves over to correctional services within the next week, reported eNCA.
The court ruling was delivered by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng. The respected judge and nine other judges indicated that Block's application was dismissed because it would not be likely to succeed, reported IOL.
Block and Scholtz were tried and convicted in the Northern Cape High Court.
They had appealed against their convictions and the sentences imposed on both of them, News24 reported previously.
Read: Former ANC Northern Cape chair's appeal against 15-year sentence for corruption dismissed
R228 000 and R500 000 paid to Block
The charges arose from several lease agreements concluded between May 2006 to August 2008 by various state entities and departments in the Northern Cape with members of what became known as the Trifecta group of companies.
Scholtz, a businessman from Pretoria who was engaged in the private equity business, came into contact with Sarel Breda with whom he identified business prospects in the Northern Cape.
Their business model was to identify rundown buildings which could be renovated into offices and then leased to state entities.
In due course a number of leases, from which the charges stem, were concluded.
Also read: ANC Northern Cape devastated by Block's 15-year sentence
The trial court held that Block, who was a senior politician in the province, had corruptly used his influence to ensure that Breda and his companies obtained some of these leases.
These were concluded with the state without the necessary statutory protocols and procedures being followed.
Block was paid substantial gratifications, including two payments of R228 000 and R500 000.
