Ex-South African President Zuma completes 15-month contempt of court sentence

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - Former South African President Jacob Zuma on Friday completed his 15-month sentence for contempt of court, the Correctional Services department said.

Zuma was sentenced by the Constitutional Court to 15 months in prison for contempt of court for refusing to appear before a judicial commission investigating corruption during his nearly decade-long presidency.

He was admitted into the Estcourt Correctional Center on July 8, 2021, but due to ill health, he was released on medical parole after two months before a court rescinded the “unlawful” parole in December and ruled that he should be returned to prison.

His lawyers, however, successfully challenged the ruling and Zuma served his remaining prison term under house arrest.

“Mr. Zuma complied with his conditions for medical parole as set out during his placement. All administrative processes have now been concluded and sentence expiry date marks the end of him serving his sentence under community corrections,’’ the department said.