'Killer cop' gets death threats

2003-02-24 18:15

Cape Town - Denver Prins, the sergeant who allegedly shot dead a colleague and seriously wounded others at the Philippi police station earlier this year, will be held in a private cell after receiving death threats.

Defence attorney William Da Grass on Monday informed the Wynberg magistrate's court that Prins had received death threats at Pollsmoor Prison.

Magistrate Annetjie Pretorius ordered that Prins be held in a single cell at the hospital section at Pollsmoor Prison to prevent further intimidation.

Pretorius on Monday extended the period of psychiatric observation for Prins, who faces five charges arising from a shooting rampage at the police station.

These include the murder of SC Jonas, three counts of attempted murder, and malicious damage to property, which relates to shots he allegedly fired at a passing taxi.

A comprehensive psychiatric report by a State-appointed psychiatrist as well as a private defence-appointed psychiatrist was to have been handed to the court on Monday, and would have indicated whether Prins was fit to stand trial.

At a previous hearing before Pretorius, Prins was referred to the Valkenberg psychiatric hospital for 30 days observation.

However, at Monday's proceedings prosecutor Sarisa Swanepoel said a report by Prins's private psychiatrist, which forms part of the main report, was outstanding.

The case was postponed to March 10 to give the psychiatrist more time to complete his report.

- SAPA