No drinking, drugs for Yengeni
2007-04-17 14:42
Johannesburg - A threat of high court action has brought details of the release conditions of Tony Yengeni in the open, the Cape Argus reported on Tuesday.
The conditions include a liquor and drugs ban - but the former African National Congress chief whip shrugged off questions when asked to comment on Tuesday morning.
The Cape Argus gave the correctional services department until noon on Monday to supply the information, or face court action under the Promotion of Access to Information Act.
After missing the noon deadline, the department was given until late afternoon to fax comprehensive details - which it did.
Conditions include a stipulation that Yengeni may not use liquor or drugs - other than those prescribed by a doctor - until September 23 next year, nor may he visit any place where liquor is consumed.
If there was any suspicion he had been drinking, he would be subjected to a blood test.
Should he refuse to undergo the test, he would be deemed to have violated his correctional supervision.
Contacted on Tuesday morning for comment on this, Yengeni asked: "Are those my conditions?"
The newspaper offered to fax him a copy of the document, but he replied: "Don't bother."
It was put to him that he had allegedly been sighted at a number of restaurants, including the licensed Beluga in The Foundry building, Prestwich Street, Green Point.
Asked if he had any comment, he said "I don't talk to the media", and then hung up.
According to the department, Yengeni received an amnesty of 18 months and a three-month special remission of his four-year sentence, the reasons for which were not given.
Yengeni has to render 16 hours of community service each month at the Siyazama Educare Centre in Gugulethu.
Yengeni was convicted in 2003 of defrauding Parliament by failing to disclose a 47% discount on a luxury 4X4 Mercedes-Benz.
He lost an appeal against his four-year sentence, but spent only a few months in Malmesbury Prison from August last year to early January this year.
- SAPA