Zuma was sentenced to fifteen months for ignoring a courtroom 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 courtroom.
Final yr, Zuma was sentenced to fifteen months imprisonment after ignoring a courtroom 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 courtroom put aside the parole choice and ordered him to return to jail.
Zuma appealed that ruling and judgment was delivered on Monday, a month after the division of correctional providers mentioned his jail sentence had ended.
“In different phrases, Mr Zuma, in legislation, 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 courtroom took situation with the division’s declare that Zuma’s sentence had ended whereas the enchantment was nonetheless being heard.
It additionally discovered that the choice by the previous nationwide commissioner of correctional providers to grant Zuma medical parole in opposition to the recommendation of the Medical Parole Advisory Board, a specialist physique, was illegal.
“On any conceivable foundation, the commissioner’s choice was illegal and unconstitutional. The excessive courtroom was right to set it apart,” the judgment mentioned.
The Jacob Zuma Basis didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. A spokesperson for the division of correctional providers mentioned the judgment was being studied and it could probably reply later.