In a historic move, South Africa’s parliament have impeached one of the country’s top judges, John Hlophe for misconduct.
An investigation found that Hlophe, the leading judge in Western Cape province, tried to influence justices at the country’s top court in a case relating to former President Jacob Zuma.
Hlophe allegedly approached two justices in 2008 to see if they would support Zuma in a decision relating to a corruption case, accusations he denied.
The removal of a judge is unprecedented since the start of the country’s democratic era in 1994, after a second judge, Nkola Motata, was also impeached for disorderly conduct and racial outbursts relating to a 2007 drunk-driving accident.
