Boeremag 'victimised'

2003-08-04 22:21

Nicolize Mulder

Pretoria - The State expected an alleged Boeremag member to pay for treatment of injuries he suffered at the State's hand, one of their legal representatives told the Pretoria High Court on Monday in yet another clash between the alleged members of the far-rightwing organisation and the state.

More than a dozen alleged members of the Boeremag complained to the court that they were injured in police vehicles.

Judge Eben Jordaan was told that police drove so recklessly with the handcuffed prisoners in the back of the Nyala vehicles, that some of them were injured. The men were described as "live projectiles".

Adriaan van Wyk claimed he hit his head against the window of a police vehicle when some of the other suspects fell on him during a turn.

Piet Pistorius claimed Herman Scheepers suffered a back injury and when he insisted on medical treatment, he had to pay for it himself.

Pistorius claimed that this was unfair treatment, as the state had caused the injuries. "There are symptoms of a larger problem - the downright victimisation of the accused."

The State retorted that safety belts were fitted in the Nyalas at the cost of thousands of rands and that the State knew nothing about any victimisation.

- Beeld