Connect with us

International

South African Judge blocks bid to free killer of anti-apartheid hero

Published

on

South African Judge blocks bid to free killer of anti-apartheid hero
In the latest saga that revives memories of South Africa’s liberation struggles, a South African judge on Thursday blocked the release from prison of Janusz Walus, the killer of an anti-apartheid campaigner, Chris Hani.
Walus, a Polish immigrant has served more than 20 years of a life sentence for the 1993 murder of Hani, and it was not immediately clear when he would be released from detention.
There is growing anger after a proposed decision to free Walus in a country still dealing with the legacy of the brutality meted out by the white-minority regime that prevailed from 1948 to 1994.
“The leave for appeal is dismissed,” Judge Nicoline Janse van Nieuwenhuizen of the High Court in Pretoria said during a brief televised court session.
The government’s lawyer said the state would consider filing an appeal at the Supreme Court to have Walus’ parole blocked.
Officials from the justice and correctional services ministry said Walus’ lawyers would be in court on Wednesday to seek his immediate release.
Spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga told the eNCA news channel that Walus’ lawyers would on Wednesday apply for his immediate release. He said the state would oppose the plea.
 The murder of Hani, the charismatic leader of the South African Communist Party (SAPC), triggered nationwide riots, almost derailing the 1994 transition to multi-racial democracy after decades of white apartheid rule.
“Walus was sentenced to life imprisonment and that is how long he must remain behind bars,” SACP spokesman Alex Mashilo told eNCA.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now