South Africa: ex-president Jacob Zuma on medical parole

Published on : 09/05/2021 – 20:49

Former South African President Jacob Zuma, imprisoned since July 8 for contempt of justice, has been granted parole on medical grounds, South African prison authorities announced on Sunday (September 5th).

Jacob Zuma, 79, has been hospitalized – for undisclosed reasons – since August 6, outside the prison where he is serving a 15-month prison sentence for stubbornly refusing to appear before a corruption commission State under his presidency (2009-2018). “The Department of Prison Services (DCS) is able to confirm that Mr. Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma has been released on medical parole,” according to a statement.

Jacob Zuma will be able to return home when he is released from the hospital, a prison official told AFP. This parole takes effect Sunday and Jacob Zuma will serve the remainder of his sentence outside of prison, but may have to perform community service upon his release from hospital.

“Mr. Zuma’s release on medical parole means that he will serve the remainder of his sentence in the community prison system, where he will have to meet a number of conditions and be under supervision until the end of his sentence. his sentence “, continues the DCS in its press release.

Jacob Zuma “relieved”

This conditional release measure was taken on the basis of a “medical report” received by the prison services, according to the press release. Jacob Zuma underwent a surgical operation on August 14, the nature of which has not been specified and remains hospitalized immediately.

Mzwanele Manyi, spokesman for the former head of state, told AFP, not having spoken to Jacob Zuma since the announcement of the parole measure, but that he certainly was ” relieved, anyone can only be delighted when this happens “.

He claimed that Jacob Zuma’s “unconstitutional” imprisonment had worsened his condition. “This had an exponential impact in terms of deteriorating his condition,” he added, refusing to disclose the pathology from which Jacob Zuma suffers.

The Democratic Alliance, South Africa’s main opposition party, said the parole measure was “completely illegal and flouts” detention laws, saying Jacob Zuma has publicly refused to be reviewed by a committee independent medical.

A month of July marked by violence and looting

Jacob Zuma’s incarceration sparked an unprecedented wave of violence and looting in South Africa. The current president, Cyril Ramaphosa, successor of Jacob Zuma, had denounced an orchestrated attempt to destabilize the country.

The resumption of the trial for corruption of Jacob Zuma, opened in May and linked to an arms contract signed more than 20 years ago, while he was vice-president, has been postponed to September 9.

Jacob Zuma faces 16 counts of fraud, corruption and racketeering in connection with South Africa’s 1999 purchase of fighter jets, patrol ships and military equipment from five European companies . He is accused of having received bribes from the French arms giant Thalès, accused on his side of corruption and money laundering.

With AFP