'Lion killer' to get parole

2008-08-14 14:34

Sydney Masinga

Barberton - Mark Scott-Crossley, the man who was involved in the murder of a Limpopo labourer whose body was then fed to lions, will be released on parole at the end of August.

Barberton correctional services spokesperson Reuben Mvula confirmed on Thursday that Scott-Crossley would be released on parole, but would not say on which date.

"I will not give you any specific dates for now, but the department of correctional services has a specific date for his release," he said.

He said the Scott-Crossley had rights and needed to agree whether the media could be informed of his release date.

He said a press release was being drafted about the matter.

"I won't tell you anything more about this matter until the department has approved the press release, but what I can tell you is that he will be released on parole," he said.

Scott-Crossley is currently serving a prison sentence for taking part in the murder of Nelson Chisale, a labourer who was killed in Hoedspruit in January 2004 and fed to lions.

Scott-Crossley successfully appealed against his life sentence for the murder of Chisale. The Supreme Court of Appeals reduced his sentence to five years on a lesser charge of being an accessory, after the fact, to murder.

He has been in jail since 2005.

His co-accused in the Chisale case, Simon Mathebula, is serving 15 years in jail for the murder. They were both sentenced on October 1 2006. A third accused died before his trial was completed.

Chisale's skull and some gnawed bones were all that remained after the body was thrown to three white lions at the Mokwalo lion breeding project.

Scott-Crossley had recently fired Chisale from his construction business at Engedi game farm. Chisale had been helping to build a lodge on the farm before being fired. He was killed when he returned to collect some of his belongings.

While in jail, Scott-Crossley was also charged with assaulting a fellow inmate, Jacobus Cordier, 40, at the Barberton maximum security prison on December 9 2006.

On February 21 this year the Barberton Magistrate's Court found him guilty of assault and sentenced him to a fine of R4 000 or two years in prison. He opted to pay the fine.

Cordier, who was serving a ten-year sentence for car theft, suffered head injuries and had to be released from prison because he was left partially paralysed following the assault.

Scott-Crossley pleaded not guilty to the assault, saying he acted in self-defence when Cordier threatened him with a sharpened spoon.

- African Eye