The embattled South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma has been released from prison, in a move that the Correctional Services national commissioner said was part of a remission program aiming to address prison overcrowding.
Defending their decision, authorities and correctional services said “The law has taken its course with regards to the former president Zuma. The national commissioner has taken a decision and that decision was not interfered with, neither did we meddle with it.”
The Justice and Correctional Services minister Lamola said the former leader immediately benefited from a remission of non-violent offenders approved by President Ramaphosa.
Makhothi Thobakgale, correctional services commissioner said under the remissions process authorized by President Cyril Ramaphosa, almost 9,500 inmates will be released from prison and placed under correctional supervision.
Recall that Zuma was jailed in 2021 for defying a Constitutional Court order to appear before a commission of inquiry investigating allegations of corruption during his tenure as president from 2009 to 2018.
He was released on medical parole two months into his 15-month sentence but had been sent back.
Reports had it that the then correctional services commissioner Arthur Fraser, a known ally of the former president, authorized Zuma’s release on medical parole.
The Jacob Zuma Foundation has argued that Zuma served his sentence as he was under correctional supervision while on medical parole.
The Department of Correctional Services said last year that Zuma had been released from its system after serving his sentence.
The former leader’s incarceration had sparked violent riots in KwaZulu-Natal and property destruction in the province and in the Gauteng province, which includes the economic hub Johannesburg.
According to official government figures, 354 people died during the chaos as police struggled to quell the spread of the violence and destruction.
The decision to return Zuma to prison followed a Supreme Court of Appeal judgment that upheld a Gauteng High Court ruling that releasing him from jail on medical parole in 2021 was unlawful and unconstitutional.
The Department of Correctional Services said last year that Zuma had been released from its system after serving his sentence.
Meanwhile, Zuma denied all corruption allegations.
SUPPORT NIGERIAN CANADIAN NEWSPAPER CANADA
If you like our work and want to keep enjoying what we offer, kindly support us by donating to the Nigerian Canadian News by clicking here
Share your thoughts in the comments section below
Do you want to share any news or information with us? If yes, contact the publisher at publisher@test1.nascitest.club
