South Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma has turned himself over to police to begin serving a 15-month prison term.
Just minutes before the midnight deadline for police to arrest him, Zuma left his Nkandla home in a convoy of vehicles. Zuma decided to hand himself over to authorities to obey the order from the country’s Constitutional Court, to serve a prison term for contempt of court.
Soon after the South African police confirmed that Zuma was in their custody.
In a media briefing outside Estcourt Correctional centre, Minister of justice and correctional services Ronald Lamola assured South Africans that the former president will be afforded dignity throughout his time of incarceration, adding that Zuma will be eligible for parole once he has served a quarter of his prison sentence.
Zuma was taken into custody by the South African police just before midnight on Wednesday to serve his 15-month jail term as ordered by the Constitutional Court.
The minister said, presently, Zuma is housed in the hospital section of the correctional center for an assessment and a 14 day Isolation period as a precaution and in line with our COVID-19 measures.
Lamola said, furthermore, he will be assessed by our medical team in conjunction with the South African health military service and this will determine the conditions of his incarceration.
The minister added that this is not a moment of celebration or triumphalism, it is a moment of restraint and to be human.
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