Decision on Najwa Petersen's parole expected 'within reasonable time frame' - law expert

Criminal law expert Dr Llewelyn Curlewis says a decision whether to release convicted murderer Najwa Petersen on parole or not could be made as early as Thursday.
 
The Correctional Supervision and Parole Review Board sat on Wednesday to consider the 63-year-old's parole application.
 
She's eligible to be released on parole after serving 16 of her 28-year prison sentence for orchestrating her husband Taliep Petersen's murder in 2006.
 
The music and theatre legend was shot dead in his Athlone home in December of that year.
 
Najwa Petersen appeared before the Correctional Supervision and Parole Review Board for the second time in just over a year to be considered for parole.
 
Curlewis said that a decision could be expected anytime from now.
  
"As long as it's within a reasonable time frame and a reasonable time frame can be one day or it can be a month or may even be longer."
 
Curlewis said because this was a high-profile case, he suspects a decision will be made sooner rather than later.
 
"I can see that they will deliberate, even if it means after-hours deliberations between the panel members and they will come up with a result and a determination and a decision within the next week. I would be surprised if it takes longer than that."
 
He added that the decision could still be subjected to a review, as was the case last year.