It was clear that Mngeni would die after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor while awaiting trial in 2011. After an operation he was declared fit to stand trial. At the end of 2012 Mngeni was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Anni Dewani.
TV news station eNCA quotes Correctional Services authorities that said Mngeni’s condition deteriorated rapidly over the past few months. He could not even remember his own name. “His situation never improved. In fact, the last six months or so, even Groote Schuur Hospital released him because they were saying that his situation was not improving at all,” said Correctional Services Regional Commissioner, Delekile Klaas.
The 27-year-old applied for medical parole in June 2014, but his application was denied a month later. As we have already reported here on SApromo there’s been a rather large public outcry about the granting of medical parole – especially if you are one of president Jacob Zuma’s cronies. Let’s take the release of convicted criminals Schabir Shaik and Jackie Selebi as examples. They were released because they were deemed to be at death’s door but miraculously they are going strong, playing golf, going shopping and at least one of them has enough energy to try and beat up journalists.
eNCA has also be quoting consulting forensic specialist David Klatzow who said: “The inequality is not only grossly manifest but it is so unfair as to raise questions about the whole justice system, raise questions about the while penal system and to really ask the question to the government as to why political manipulation has resulted in such manifest injustice… Mr Selebi was clearly able to serve out his sentence, as was Schabir Shaik. They’ve both shown no inability to enjoy their life outside prison and clearly, the only thing they were sick of, was sick of being locked up.”
We are not surprised that the Justice Department is defending its decision. Mthunzi Mhaga of the Justice and Correctional Services Department said: “At his home, we were not convinced that he was going to get proper care that he would’ve best received in our facility. So that decision was informed by that factor. People should not equate it to other cases because each case is unique in its own way. The minister, before he signs it off, has to be convinced that the person, when he is released, he will receive proper care, even though he is terminally ill.”
In the mean time Shrien Dewani’s murder case is continuing in the Western Cape High Court. He is being accused of murder and conspiracy to murder for allegedly ordering the killing of his wife Anni while on honeymoon in Cape Town in 2010.
