Boeremag member 'threatened'

2003-09-23 21:47

Nicolize Mulder

Pretoria - The family of an alleged member of the Boeremag (Boer Force) would apparently have been "hurt" if he did not become a State witness, the Pretoria High Court heard on Tuesday.

This was the testimony of Koos du Plessis, an engineer and one of the 22 accused that are standing trial for high treason, murder, terrorism and sabotage. He was continuing his testimony in the preliminary legal point brought by him and Mike and Andre du Toit.

The three are alleging that their constitutional rights were irreparably violated when police confiscated privileged legal documents in the Pretoria Local Prison in October.

They claim they will not have a fair trail because police had insight into their defence arguments. They are asking that their prosecution be terminated.

The Du Toit brothers already testified how their defence documents were alleged used to strengthen the case against them.

Du Plessis testified that a letter from his wife was also confiscated. As far as he knew, there was nothing in these documents that showed that they were planning acts of terror.

He said a former member of the investigation team approached him to turn State witness. He said there was no explanation as to what this would entail. The police officer was allegedly threatening when he said Du Plessis's family would be hurt.

"I later told him he should rather kill me before he harms my family," Du Plessis testified. He refused to become a State witness.

The State denies that such a threat was ever made. The State is also argueing that they did not need to look at the defence document because there were no new statements from the defence.

- Beeld