Justice minister Michael Masutha is appealing the decision of the Pretoria High Court that Janusz Walus must be released on parole.
The department of justice and correctional services said in a statement on Wednesday that Masutha’s lawyers filed a notice of application for leave to appeal against the judgment with the Registrar of the High Court.
“The Minister believes that the Honourable Court erred in its judgment and is of the view that there are prospects of success on appeal and that the Appeal Court will arrive at a different conclusion‚” the department said.
On March 10‚ the court set aside the minister’s decision to deny Walus parole. Judge Nicolene Janse van Nieuwenhuizen ordered the minister to set conditions for Walus’s parole and release him within 14 days.
The judgment caused an uproar‚ with Hani’s widow Mpho calling the ruling “racist”.
Walus has not been paroled yet.
Walus‚ a Polish immigrant‚ shot and killed South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani in April 1993. He was initially sentenced to death but this was converted to life in prison after the death sentence was abolished. He has been in jail for more than 20 years.
Clive Derby-Lewis‚ who was convicted of being a co-conspirator in Hani’s murder and supplying the gun used by Walus‚ was granted medical parole in May 2015 after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
Justice minister to appeal Janusz Walus parole judgment
The department of justice and correctional services said in a statement on Wednesday that Masutha’s lawyers filed a notice of application for leave to appeal against the judgment with the Registrar of the High Court.
“The Minister believes that the Honourable Court erred in its judgment and is of the view that there are prospects of success on appeal and that the Appeal Court will arrive at a different conclusion‚” the department said.
On March 10‚ the court set aside the minister’s decision to deny Walus parole. Judge Nicolene Janse van Nieuwenhuizen ordered the minister to set conditions for Walus’s parole and release him within 14 days.
The judgment caused an uproar‚ with Hani’s widow Mpho calling the ruling “racist”.
Walus has not been paroled yet.
Walus‚ a Polish immigrant‚ shot and killed South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani in April 1993. He was initially sentenced to death but this was converted to life in prison after the death sentence was abolished. He has been in jail for more than 20 years.
Clive Derby-Lewis‚ who was convicted of being a co-conspirator in Hani’s murder and supplying the gun used by Walus‚ was granted medical parole in May 2015 after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
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