State asks Boeremag suspects to confess

2003-03-24 23:35

Sonja Carstens

Pretoria - In a bid to negotiate over possible plea bargaining and sentencing agreements, the state has called on Boeremag suspects to confess to their crimes.

Should the 23 suspects decline the offer, they face at least two life sentences each if found guilty.

Under the Criminal Procedures Act, courts are empowered to ratify plea bargaining.

The state sent reminders to the suspects' legal counsel telling them all confessions should be completed ahead of the trial date set for May 19 in the Pretoria High Court.

The men will stand trial in the High Court on 42 charges including treason, murder, conspiracy to murder, terrorism, sabotage and various contraventions of the Firearms and Ammunition and Explosives Acts.

Under the Minimum Sentence Act the minimum sentence for high treason is 15 years in prison, however, the accused could face a life term.

Dr Johan Pretorius jr, his brothers Kobus en Wilhelm, and Herman van Rooyen and Rudi Gouws are charged with murder following the death of a woman after explosions in Soweto.

Other suspects are under suspicion of conspiracy to murder. The state alleges the men acted with a common purpose, and had resigned themselves to the fact that people are likely to die in the blasts.

Legal experts say the minimum sentence for murder is 15 years in prison, but in cases citing common purpose life terms could be imposed.

In addition the minimum sentence for terrorism is 15 years, while the maximum for sabotage is 20 years.

- Beeld