The decision to grant former president Jacob Zuma early medical parole was “illegal,” the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa concluded on Monday. Accordingly, he must go back to prison to serve out the remainder of his term for contempt of court.
Recall that the former South African leader was released from the Correctional Services system in October.
“In other words, Mr Zuma, in law, has not finished serving his sentence. He must return to the Escourt Correctional centre to do so,” the Supreme Court of Appeal judgement read.
The order would be delayed if Zuma chose to seek the constitutional court appeal option. The Constitutional Court sentenced Zuma to 15 months in prison after finding him guilty of contempt for failing to show up for the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.
He spent less than two months until Arthur Fraser, a former national commissioner of correctional services, approved him for medical parole. The Democratic Alliance, the AfriForum, and the Helen Suzman Foundation all successfully appealed the ruling.
Details shortly…
