Waheed Hassan, the man who fired the shot that took the life of musician Taliep Petersen in 2006, has officially been released on parole.
Department of Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said that Hassan was released on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, and that his parole conditions would not be made public, reports IOL.
“Waheed Hassan was placed into the system of community corrections on Tuesday until his sentence expires in August 2033.”
Hassan was sentenced to an effective 25 years in 2009 and served his prison sentence at the Warm Bokkeveld Prison in Ceres.
Taliep was killed with a single shot to the head after being tied up with cable ties in his Athlone home on the night of December 16, 2006. It was a staged robbery.
His wife, the mastermind of the murder, Najwa Dirk, was due to be paroled in November this year but the decision has been taken on review, thus her parole has been suspended.
Najwa is currently serving a 28 year sentence for her husband’s murder.
The Department of Correctional Services Minister Pieter Greonewald said the decision has been to the Parole Review Board who will now be tasked with reviewing the original decision, or replace it with its own decision.
At the time of her parole placement date the Department said Najwa had participated in various rehabilitation programmes and would be enrolled in pre-release programmes to prepare her for reintegration into society
Groenewald said the decision was taken on review following representations from Taliep’s family.
But Taliep’s sister, Maatoema Groenmeyer, told the Daily Voice: “We are disgusted and appalled at the decision of the parole board.
“If they say she is a flight risk, then why give her parole?
“Even the criminologist and psychologist report found her to not be remorseful and still in denial, and that she was the mastermind and very manipulative.
“My brother did not get the justice he deserved, she [only] spent 16 years as a convicted prisoner.”