South Africa’s High Court orders former President Zuma to go back to jail
South Africa’s High Court ordered former President Jacob Zuma to return to jail after setting aside the decision to release him on medical parole, a court judgement showed on Wednesday.
The 79-year old began medical parole in September, and is serving a 15-month sentence for contempt of court. Zuma handed himself in on July 7 to begin his prison sentence.
South Africa’s former president was sentenced to 15 months by the highest court in the country.
The jail sentence came after the Constitutional Court found him guilty of contempt for defying its order to appear at an inquiry into corruption while he was president.
Zuma’s time in power, which ended in 2018, was dogged by graft allegations.
Businessmen were accused of conspiring with politicians to influence the decision-making process. The former president made one appearance at the inquiry into what has become known as “state capture” but then refused to appear subsequently.
The inquiry – headed by Justice Raymond Zondo – asked the Constitutional Court to intervene.