The High Court in Pretoria on Monday gave Correctional Services Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula 10 days to decide whether Almond Nofemela should be released on parole, his lawyer said.
”The minister must either say yes or no,” said attorney Julian Knight, who is representing Nofemela.
The former apartheid-era policeman was on death row when his exposé of apartheid hit squads gave him a reprieve. However, he still had to serve a life sentence for the murder of Johannes Lourens on his farm near Brits.
In terms of section 136(3) of the Correctional Services Act, any person sentenced to life in prison before October 1 2004, is entitled to be considered for parole after serving at least 20 years of the sentence.
After 21 years behind bars, his case was submitted to the National Council of Correctional Services for consideration and parole was recommended.
Earlier, the department said the minister was considering the matter, but Knight said that Nofemela’s attempt at parole has taken at least two years so far and that he just wanted an answer. — Sapa