#Letter: Serial rapist seeks parole: Is our justice system failing us?
"Unbelievably, the Department of Correctional Services seems to now support Mahomed's parole" - Simon Dehal.
Verulam resident Simon Dehal writes:
Convicted serial rapist Andre Gregory Mahomed (54) was found guilty of raping 43 women in eThekwini and later in the Tshwane region.
He was sentenced to an indefinite jail term in the early 2000s.
This month he submitted a fresh application for parole. Durban magistrate Sharon Marks adjourned the matter to September.
During previous parole applications he was deemed to be a dangerous criminal.
Unbelievably, the Department of Correctional Services seems to now support Mahomed’s parole.
One can’t help having little or no faith in the system.
A year ago I wrote a letter imploring the authorities to review the parole system and asked that some or all members of the parole boards be dismissed as parolees at that time had committed hundreds of heinous crimes while on parole, primarily murders and rapes. Things have not changed.
Many criminals need to remain behind bars as they are clearly a threat to society. The system needs to be reviewed to ensure this.
Criminals and fraudsters appear to have more legal rights than ordinary law-abiding citizens.
When determining sentences, presiding officers (judges and magistrates) must consider the nature of the offence, the circumstances associated therewith and must take into account the interests of the victim, the perpetrator and society in general so that an appropriate and just sentence is meted out.
Referring to the Mahomed case, surely the views of his victims’ families must be solicited relating to the present parole application? I assume that most, if not all of them will not support it.
(Letter shortened – Ed)
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