By Neelam Rahim

The Thulsie Brothers referred to in the media as the Thulsie twins, have been released on parole.

Radio Islam International discusses the release of Salahudeen Brandon-Lee and Yaqeen Tony-Lee with attorney Nadeem Mohammed.

Their arrest goes back to July 2016. The release comes six months after the trial had come to an end in the Johannesburg High Court.

Regarding the event which led to their release, attorney Nadeem effectively said that the five years and seven months awaiting trial, which was a period before the trial had even commenced, was taken into account by the court, who said relatively noble things in favour of the twins at the time.

According to Nadeem, the five years and seven months already spent an amount of immesence to a period of two-thirds of the total sentence as of 26 January 2022.

It is compelling per the parole board’s Act and the correctional services Act that the period must be considered for eligibility purposes.

“For all purposes, they were eligible for parole immediately on the date the sentence of the agreement ended.”

The Thulsie twins were released yesterday into their family’s custody and care. The parole conditions keep them under house arrest for six months. For the exercise of religious activities which the parole officer must condone, and for the fact that they are employed from Monday to Sunday, they are then entitled to leave their house between 8 and 12 on a Sunday as per Nadeem.

According to Nadeem, the time spent incarcerated for the Thulsie brothers was tough until the legal team brought urgent applications and was victorious against the state. After that, things started to ease off. At the time, the brothers made extensive dawah and reverted one of the most notorious criminals at the Pretoria Kgosi Mampuru prison. The brothers became close to him and continued with the dawah, and it is believed when he was moved to the maximum C prison, he continued with the dawah.

He said they became part of the madrassah after their conviction moved to Johannesburg. The madrassah started with four students, and between the time they had joined in January and when they left in August, it had increased to 24.

He added that they had sought resources to provide stationery for the aalim teaching them. There were Quranic studies, every Friday prayer and during the month of Ramadan, they were part of a group that assisted other Muslims within the prison have dates and water to break their fast.

Click on the link below for the full interview.