Zuma was sentenced to fifteen months for ignoring a court docket order to testify at an inquiry into corruption throughout his tenure.
South Africa’s Supreme Courtroom of Enchantment has dominated that the choice to launch former President Jacob Zuma on early medical parole was “illegal” and that he ought to return to jail to complete his sentence for contempt of court docket.
Final 12 months, Zuma was sentenced to fifteen months imprisonment after ignoring a court docket order to testify at a authorities inquiry into widespread corruption throughout his near-decade as president, a tenure that led to 2018 when incumbent Cyril Ramaphosa changed him.
In September 2021, Zuma was launched on medical parole after serving a fraction of the sentence. However in December, the excessive court docket put aside the parole resolution and ordered him to return to jail.
Zuma appealed that ruling and judgment was delivered on Monday, a month after the division of correctional companies stated his jail sentence had ended.
“In different phrases, Mr Zuma, in regulation, has not completed serving his sentence. He should return to the Escourt Correctional centre to take action,” the Supreme Courtroom of Enchantment’s judgment learn.
The court docket took situation with the division’s declare that Zuma’s sentence had ended whereas the attraction was nonetheless being heard.
It additionally discovered that the choice by the previous nationwide commissioner of correctional companies to grant Zuma medical parole towards the recommendation of the Medical Parole Advisory Board, a specialist physique, was illegal.
“On any conceivable foundation, the commissioner’s resolution was illegal and unconstitutional. The excessive court docket was appropriate to set it apart,” the judgment stated.
The Jacob Zuma Basis didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. A spokesperson for the division of correctional companies stated the judgment was being studied and it might seemingly reply later.
