Social media users were in uproar yesterday, after the Department of Correctional Services announced that deceased Skwatta Kamp rapper, Nkululeko 'Flabba' Habedi's then girlfriend Sindisiwe Manqele, has been released from jail on parole.
Read More: Sindisiwe Manqele Who Was Convicted Of Killing Flabba Is Out Of Jail
Read More: Sindisiwe Manqele Who Was Convicted Of Killing Flabba Is Out Of Jail
Manqele was sentenced to 12 years behind bars in 2015 for murder, after she fatally stabbed the rapper at his home in Alexandra, Gauteng in self-defence. She served half of her sentence, but yesterday Mzansi was left perplexed after reports emerged that she had been released on parole. Although Manqele’s release has left the public in uproar, according to SowetanLIVE, Flabba’s family does not want to dwell on this.
This because they have forgiven her according to late Flabba's brother, Tshepang Habedi. He reportedly told the publication he is at peace with her release from jail. “This was bound to happen. She is out. I have healed. I have accepted things a long time ago," he said.
“I’m at peace with the whole thing. My mother, I presume, is also at peace with it. I spoke to her and she said there is nothing we can do. If we dwell on that we will be going backwards," he said.
Moreover, he said they wouldn't have been able to move on if they hadn't forgiven her. “We have forgiven her. That is the only way we could move on. If we had not forgiven her we wouldn't move on... It was very hard, trust me, but we had a conversation as a family and made that decision."
According to the statement released by the Department of Correctional Service, Manqele’s release from jail was effective as of Monday, 24 May. "This decision was taken by the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board (CSPB) after having assessed Manqele’s profile as submitted by the Case Management Committee and other material presented for the purposes of parole consideration."
The statement further said, Manqele has taken responsibility for the offence she committed and is remorseful about it. "Manqele takes responsibility for the offence she committed and is remorseful about it. She completed all the identified programmes as per her Correctional Sentence Plan and participated in the Victim-Offender Dialogue in 2018."
The department said her parole is not the end of her sentence as she is expected to comply with a specific set of conditions until her sentence expires. “She completed all the identified programmes as per her correctional sentence plan and participated in the victim-offender dialogue in 2018.
“It is critical to highlight that parole placement is not the end of the sentence, as Manqele will complete the remainder of the sentence in the system of community corrections, whereby she is expected to comply with a specific set of conditions and will be subjected to supervision until her sentence expires on May 23 2028.”
Tweeps have reacted to her release.
Lebone01 wrote: "Y'all welcomed Jub Jub with open arms. Sindisiwe Manqele should get the same treatment. Let her live her life. Same as you allowed JubJub to pick up from where he left off."
Kabelo wrote: "People who are throwing tantrums claiming that Sindisiwe Manqele was released too soon fail to appreciate that the overarching mandate of the Department of Correctional Services is to ‘rehabilitate offenders & reintegrate them into society,"
Ambitious_Zandy wrote: "I hope Sindisiwe Manqele will start a foundation & work closely with women in & out of prison. I heard that majority of women in prison are there bcoz of a lovers' tiff "gone wrong". Acting out of anger is the mother of all fxck ups. Next thing, there's a dead man in front of u."Image Cred: Twitter