Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola has confirmed that the former police official who sold more than 2,000 guns to gangs on the Cape Flats was released on parole a few years ago.
He said Christiaan Prinsloo qualified for parole in 2020 and he had also benefited from the special remission of sentence that was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa the year before.
Lamola said there were a number of factors that were taken into consideration before Prinsloo was granted parole in 2020.
Prinsloo was sentenced to 18 years in jail in 2016.
Lamola, who was replying to a written parliamentary question from Glynnis Breytenbach of the DA, said Prinsloo was released on parole in 2020.
“Offender Christiaan Prinsloo was released on parole on August 4 2020, and his sentence will expire on June 20 2033. The offender in question benefited from the special remission of sentence granted by the President of the Republic of South Africa on December 16 2019, which reduced his sentence by one year. He then became eligible to be considered for parole as part of the Special Parole Dispensation and his placement on parole was approved by the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board,” said Lamola.
He said when Prinsloo was considered for parole they had looked at his rehabilitation programme in prison, whether he was going to pose a danger to society, chances of him re-offending and the risk to the victims.
Gun Free South Africa has filed a class action lawsuit against the police for negligence. It is suing the state on behalf of the families and relatives of the victims.
It said the police had failed to act against Prinsloo for selling firearms to gangs on the Cape Flats.
IOL