A South African court has ruled that the country’s former President Jacob Zuma should be returned to prison.
Ex-President Zuma was released on 5 September 2021 for an undisclosed medical condition.
Meanwhile, Judges in the High Court in Pretorian have ruled that the decision by the top correctional officer to release Zuma on medical parole was “reviewed, declared unlawful, and set aside”.
The Pretoria court ruled, that the time he has spent out of prison should not be counted in his 15-month sentence.
Jacob Zuma had been jailed for failing to attend an inquiry into corruption during his presidency.
The 79-year-old handed himself into police in July after a public stand-off, but his jailing, unprecedented for an ex-president, sparked violent protests and looting.
More than 300 people, mostly in Zuma’s stronghold of KwaZulu-Natal province, died in the protests.
Prison authorities say his release on parole was compelled by a medical report, but ailment has never been disclosed. He did, however, undergo surgery after he was imprisoned. His lawyers also argued that their client’s illness had rendered him incapacitated.
South Africa’s main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, said the parole was entirely unlawful and made a mockery of prison regulations.
However, Zuma is expected to appeal against the decision.
Source: bbc
