Vicki Letele's brother has livestreamed her release from prison on Facebook.
The family are ecstatic at the Parole Board's decision to release Letele on compassionate grounds after the Department of Corrections asked it to re-consider its position.
Letele, who has terminal stomach cancer, was serving a three year prison sentence for fraud. She has been given just months to live. The decision comes after a recommendation for her release by Corrections yesterday. Her brother David Letele said that decision was down to the swell of support Vicki had received. "We're 100% grateful to the media and to the public for jumping on it. "It's given Vicki a massive voice." He shared his thanks on social media this afternoon, writing: "Thank you to Amanda Gillies from Newshub for supporting my sister. You guys helped us from the start."Labour MP Kelvin Davis has been working with the Letele family throughout the case. He told Newshub this evening that while the decision should have been made ages ago, it was "better late than never". "I hope her family have the chance to show her the love and care she deserves," he said. He said he hoped the decision would set a precedent for more leeway and compassion granted to terminally ill prisoners
Newshub.
