Pictures of former president Jacob Zuma undergoing checks
inside the Estcourt prison in the early hours of Thursday morning were “stolen”,
prison officials said.
The pictures were also seemingly shared with a “known
broadcaster”, according to the correctional services department.
The department confirmed that a criminal case had been
opened “after a camera SD card, containing images of the former president,
Jacob Zuma, being admitted at a correctional centre was stolen”.
Zuma handed himself over to authorities late on Wednesday
night after his contempt of court conviction a week earlier. He was booked into
the Estcourt prison in the early hours of Thursday.
A few hours later, pictures of Zuma started circulating on
social media and messaging platforms. They showed him in what appeared to be a
medical room with a uniformed correctional services official.
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The department said the official involved in the saga had
been suspended. The nature of the official's involvement was not specified.
“It has come to the attention of the department of correctional services (DCS) that images were stolen from a camera of the official who had been assigned to take photos for institutional filing purposes. The SD card was removed from the camera,” said correctional services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo.
“The first aspect of the internal investigation thus far
has revealed that this SD card may have clandestinely been shared with a known
broadcaster. The department will be approaching the relevant institutions for
further action.”
Nxumalo said the matter was “highly sensitive”, and the
police and correctional services were investigating.
“We are appalled by the distribution of these images on
social media and we urge people to refrain from sharing them. DCS condemns in
strongest possible terms such action and will leave no stone unturned in
bringing to book those behind it.” Times
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