The only survivor of the infamous Stander gang has challenged the parole system of the department of correctional services.
Fifty-two-year-old Allan George Heyl took his case of denied parole to the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday and the matter was postponed to Friday.
The department of correctional services turned down his parole application, saying he would be considered for parole only after serving two-thirds of his sentence.
Heyl was a member of the Stander gang which committed a string of robberies in the then PWV area between 1983 and 1984.
The gang was led by Andre Stander, who was killed in a shoot-out in the United States, while another member, Patrick Lee McCall, was shot dead in Houghton, Johannesburg.
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Heyl escaped from Zonderwater prison in October 1983 while serving a 15-year sentence for robbery. It was during this time he joined Stander and McCall.
He fled the country in 1984 and ended up in England, where - in 1985 - he was sentenced to nine years.
In November 1991 Heyl was deported to South Africa to stand trial for crimes committed with Stander and McCall.
He pleaded guilty to 18 counts of robbery, 17 of illegal possession of arms and ammunition, five of car theft and one of escaping from prison.
He was sentenced to an effective 33 years and has already served 19.
- This article was originally published on page 2 of The Star on July 07, 2004
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