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What is all this parole farce?

How a cabinet minister can go on national television and confidently announce that all parole procedures were followed in releasing Mark Scott-Crossley, pictured, while the opposite appears to be the case, really boggles my mind.

How a cabinet minister can go on national television and confidently announce that all parole procedures were followed in releasing Mark Scott-Crossley, pictured, while the opposite appears to be the case, really boggles my mind.

It's obvious that the scales of justice were tilted in favour of Scott-Crossley when the appeals court overturned his life sentence despite his having played a leading role in the brutal murder of Nelson Chisale and the subsequent tossing of his body into the lions' enclosure.

The last time I checked on concealment of death, let alone murder, it was a serious crime.

Now the parole board decides to drive the final nail in the coffin by allowing Scott-Crossley to jump the parole queue.

Thousands of inmates, some of them model prisoners, whose paroles have reportedly been overlooked are still languishing in jail.

Because they are poor Chisale's family has been turned into virtual outcasts by a system that should protect them.

I do not blame them for calling for the immediate release of ScottCrossley's co-accused, Simon Mathebula, pictured. It serves no purpose incarcerating a poor stooge while the rich mastermind goes free.

This kind of travesty of justice should not be tolerated any longer. The parole board needs to get its house in order before anarchy reigns.

It is very strange that our dysfunctional justice system seems to be very functional when the rich are concerned.

Reports suggesting that correct parole procedures were not followed, and that the victim's family was not involved in the process, should be followed up

Needless to sa, Scott-Crossley's early release exacerbates the already flagging public confidence in both the justice and correctional systems.

Mlu Mzila, Johannesburg

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