Ex-S.African Prez Zuma begins prison sentence

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Johannesburg, July 9 (IANS) South Africa's former president Jacob Zuma has spent the first night of his 15-month imprisonment sentence for contempt of court at the Estcourt Correctional Centre in KwaZulu-Natal, an official confirmed here.

Correctional Services Department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo told Xinhua news agency on Thursday that due to Covid-19 regulations, Zuma would be isolated from other prisoners for 14 days.

"Newly admitted inmates must be isolated and are later moved into the general population to take preventative measures on Covid-19," he said.

Zuma will also not be allowed to have visitors because of the pandemic.

Nxumalo said all admission processes regulations would be properly explained to the new inmate.

"Other relevant prescripts pertaining to admitting and orientating newly incarcerated persons will also be followed and executed," he said.

Zuma was taken to police custody around 11 p.m. Wednesday, an hour before the deadline the court had given the police.

He was sentenced on June 29 for defying an instruction to give evidence at an inquiry into corruption during his nine years in power.

He has testified only once at the inquiry into what has become known as "state capture" - meaning the siphoning off of state assets.

Businessmen have been accused of conspiring with politicians to influence the decision-making process while he was in office.

But Zuma has repeatedly said that he is the victim of a political conspiracy.

There are a number of legal disputes that still remain including his rescission application to the Constitutional Court set for hearing on July 12.

The Pietermaritzburg High Court will on Friday deliver judgement after Zuma challenged his 15-month imprisonment.

--IANS

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