Durban - After serving exactly half her sentence following her conviction on an array of sex charges, Cezanne Visser, better known as Advocate Barbie, will walk out of prison on Monday, on parole.
Correctional Services Chief Deputy Commissioner James Smalberger confirmed on Sunday that Visser would be released on Monday.
He told the Pretoria News that the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board had approved her placement on parole as from Monday, for the remainder of her sentence.
“Her placement will be under the maximum category, with strict parole conditions. These include house detention. She will be restricted to remain within the magisterial district and she will be prohibited from visiting places of safety for children, including orphanages. She may not make contact with any of the victims.
“Visser will be allowed to leave her home to go to work and to church on Sundays. She will be strictly monitored by means of visits or calls by our officials at least eight times a month. She can also be requested to visit our offices.”
Smalberger said Visser, like all other offenders in the same sentencing category, had to serve half her sentence, after which she qualified to be released on parole.
“Ms Visser has complied with all necessary requirements for release and her placement has been approved.
“The department will not hesitate to place her back into custody should she violate her parole conditions.”
Visser was sentenced in May 2010 to a seven-year jail term for, among other things, indecently assaulting children and young women.
Under the Correctional Services Act, a prisoner who has served half their sentence may be considered for parole.
Smalberger said Visser received a six-month reduction of her sentence as part of the government’s special remission of sentence for prisoners.
This left her with a prison term of six and a half years, of which she had served three years and three months.
Smalberger explained that, immediately after her release, she would have to report to the community correctional office closest to her home, where she would have to sign her parole conditions.
He could not say at what time she would be released.
“We are trying to assist her as we know there is a big media interest in her. We tried not to attract unnecessary media attention.”
According to Smalberger, the victims in the case had been informed about Visser’s parole hearing.
He could not say whether they gave their inputs during the hearing.
Pieter van R Coetzee, the lawyer acting for the two victims, who were underage orphans when they fell prey to Visser and her then-lover Dirk Prinsloo, did not want to say on Sunday whether they knew about her release and whether they objected.
Asked by the Pretoria News on Friday whether he had any news about Visser’s possible release, Van R Coetzee said: “Nothing. I heard she was going to apply for parole, but I do not know whether she got it.”
Visser had turned to court twice before for a review of the parole board’s refusal to release her.
At the time, Van R Coetzee said that, on behalf of the victims - who were now adults - he would fight any early release of Visser.
He also complained at the time that the victims were not joined as parties to her court application, although they had a vested interest in the proceedings.
He said it was a travesty of justice and called on the minister of correctional services to make sure he was informed of a possible release.
Visser’s counsel, Johann Engelbrecht, SC, said on Sunday he was happy about her release.
“She has paid her dues to society. She deserves forgiveness. She has served her time and she has definitely paid for her misdeeds.”
The Mercury