Former ANC chief whip Tony Yengeni has missed the deadline to ask the Supreme Court of Appeal for leave to appeal against a four-year prison sentence, News24 reported on Monday.

A spokesperson for the registrar's office at the Supreme Court said at the weekend the deadline was last Monday.

"We have not heard a word from Yengeni, nor his legal team," said the spokesperson.

"No plea for special appeal or request for an extension for late submission has been received by us."

Defrauding parliament He said that, "strictly speaking", the former African National Congress MP now had to present himself at prison to start serving his sentence.

Yengeni was sentenced by the Pretoria commercial crimes court after entering a plea bargain, admitting to defrauding parliament in connection with a discount he got on a Mercedes-Benz from a bidder in the arms deal.

He appealed to the High Court, saying he had been promised a sentence of less than 18 months.

The High Court judges knew nothing of this and confirmed the sentence.

Yengeni's final recourse was a plea to the president of the Supreme Court of Appeal for special leave to appeal, because this had been denied by the High Court judges.

The spokesperson for the registrar said there was no document that the Supreme Court had extended the period for seeking special leave to appeal.

"All we have is the order of the High Court that the appeal was refused."

With acknowledgement to Sapa and Independent Online.