Nigeria, Sept. 5 -- Convicted former South African president, Jacob Zuma, was on Sunday placed on medical parole on the grounds of his failing health, the country's correctional services department has said.

Mr Zuma, 79, has been jailed since July after the constitutional court sentenced him to 15 months in prison having been found guilty of contempt of court for failing to appear before a corruption probe panel despite repeated court orders.

The correctional service said on Sunday that Mr Zuma's eligibility for medical parole follows a medical report it received about the former leader's hospital admittance.

"Medical parole placement for Mr Zuma means that he will complete the remainder of the sentence in the system of community corre...