Decision to place Bob Hewitt on parole to be reviewed, date of placement is now suspended
15 September 2019
Minister of Justice & Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola has instructed the National Commissioner of Correctional Services, Arthur Fraser, to take the decision to place convicted rapist Bob Hewitt on parole on review.
"Upon studying the Correctional Supervision and Parole Review Board's (CSPB) decision, the Minister noted with grave concern the lack of participation by the victims of crimes in the parole consideration process.
"It is critical that the justice system in all its facets pays a considerable amount of attention to the victim-centric approach, as envisioned in national framework on sexual offences of 2012," spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said in a statement on Sunday.
This comes after News24 earlier reported that a letter seen by the publication from the chairperson of the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board for St. Albans – a Ms CC Binta – states that Hewitt will be released on September 23.The letter is dated September 12, and states that Hewitt will be placed under "High Risk category for the duration of his parole which will end on September 19, 2022".