South Africa: Jacob Zuma briefly jailed, quickly released

Jacob Zuma, the scandal-ridden former president of South Africa, returned to prison on Friday after almost a year, only to be immediately released.

Following a court order, the former president reported to the Estcourt detention facility northwest of Durban, where he was "admitted into the system," South Africa's prison system said.

However, Correctional Services national commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale told a press conference that the 81-year-old Zuma was released almost immediately as part of a "remission process" that he said was due to overcrowding in prison.

"Upon admission into the system, he was subjected to administrative processes," Thobakgale said. He was then released," 

In and out of prison

Zuma's judicial saga began when he was called to testify before a panel investigating corruption during his nine-year stint as president.

However, he refused to take part and was subsequently sentenced to 15 months for defying a court order.

Zuma handed himself over to the prison services in July 2021. His imprisonment sparked violent protests that led to the deaths of over 300 people.

Just one month into his sentence, the former president was admitted to hospital with an undisclosed condition and was then released on medical parole.

This release was deemed illegal by an appeals court several months later, a decision which itself was appealed by the country's prison service. But last month, South Africa's constitutional court upheld the previous court's decision, ordering Zuma to return to jail.

ab/sms (AFP, Reuters)