South Africa: Ex-President Jacob Zuma released from prison on medical parole

Ex-South African President Jacob Zuma, who was taken into custody earlier in July, was released on medical parole just two months after his imprisonment for a 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court and corruption probe.  Prison authorities said that the 79-year-old former leader had undergone surgery in hospital for an ailment not yet specified and the South African Department of Correctional Services has decided to give the former leader parole, the statement from the correctional facility read on Sunday, September 5. 

"Medical parole placement for Mr Zuma means that he will complete the remainder of the sentence in the system of community corrections," said the Department of Correctional Services. "He must comply with a specific set of conditions and will be subjected to supervision until his sentence expires," the department added.

A spokesperson for the correctional facility, Singabakho Nxumalo told agencies that while Zuma was recovering at hospital, he was allowed to go back home and receive medical care. Since his surgery on August 6, Zuma’s health has deteriorated, the spokesperson stated, not giving details about the former President’s illness. Zuma’s parole was welcomed by Mzwanele Manyi of the Jacob Zuma Foundation, who stated that some more details may be expected into the health of the former leader in the future. DCS said in the statement that it was "impelled" to grant Zuma medical parole. "Apart from being terminally ill and physically incapacitated, inmates suffering from an illness that severely limits their daily activity or self-care can also be considered for medical parole," the statement said. The facility also requested the South African citizens to "afford Mr Zuma dignity as he continues to receive medical treatment."

Zuma turned himself in for 'contempt of court' 

Jacob Zuma, who served as South Africa’s President for almost a decade, turned himself into prison in July to serve a 15-month sentence for contempt of the country's apex court. Prison authorities confirmed that Zuma “has been admitted to start serving a 15 months sentence at Estcourt Correctional Centre” in his native province of KwaZulu-Natal. Zuma’s imprisonment is significant as it marks the first time that any president has been awarded a jail sentence in post-apartheid South Africa.

Zuma was found guilty of defying a court order to testify before a judicial commission investigating widespread allegations of corruption during his tenure as the country’s president, that is from 2009 to 2018. The court ordered him to voluntarily surrender to prison authorities or else the police would detain him forcefully, according to the Associated Press.

The former leader refused and the impasse continued for a week. In a plea to avoid going to prison, Zuma’s lawyers wrote to the acting chief justice requesting that his arrest be suspended. Additionally, the 79-year-old also had two court proceedings to avoid arrest. However, just minutes before the deadline expired, his foundation tweeted that Zuma had “decided to comply with the incarceration order” and hand himself to a correctional facility. Zuma called the sentence given by the court to be "cruel and degrading". 

Image: AP