Killer gets parole 30 years on

Petrus van der Merwe, sentenced to death for killing his father and brother , has been given a lifeline by the high court in Pretoria, ordering he be released on day parole.

Pretoria - Double murderer Petrus van der Merwe, sentenced to death for killing his father and brother in their Wierda Park home, has been given a lifeline by the high court in Pretoria, ordering he be released on day parole.

This will be the first time in more than 30 years that Van der Merwe, 62, will leave Kgosi Mampuru jail in Pretoria.

Logan Maistry of Correctional Services said day parole was normally granted to establish whether an inmate can reintegrate into society with the view to eventually releasing the prisoner on full parole. The time when the prisoner leaves prison and returned at night would depend on his parole conditions.

Van der Merwe’s advocate told the court he waseligible for parole 20 years ago in terms of regulations applicable at the time. The Parole Board had numerous times - starting from 2006 - recommended parole.

Justice Minister Michael Masutha three times refused parole, calling for more psychiatric reports on his mental state. These were never forthcoming and Van der Merwe eventually turned to court in a bid to be freed.

In January the minister again turned down his parole application. But advocate G C Muller SC argued it was cruel and inhumane to keep him behind bars for more than 30 years.

He was sentenced in 1986 for killing his father Petrus and brother Emanuel. He slit their throats while they were sleeping. His death sentence was later commuted to a life sentence.

Muller said Van der Merwe was a model prisoner, devoted Christian and his family had forgiven him.

“There has never been any rational reason for denying parole,” Muller said. He had an unblemished jail record and his church had offered him a job.

zelda.venter@inl.co.za

Pretoria News