2nd Boeremag suspect testifies

2004-05-04 18:48

Pretoria - Boeremag treason suspect Lourens du Plessis winked in the direction of his alleged accomplices in the dock on Tuesday before being sworn in as a witness for the State in their Pretoria High Court trial.

Du Plessis is the second State witness to take the stand since the start of the trial a year ago.

He had just started giving evidence about the alleged rightwing coup plot when the matter was adjourned for the day.

Twenty-two alleged Boeremag members are standing trial for plotting a rightwing coup.

They face 42 charges ranging from murder and attempted murder to treason, terrorism, sabotage, and arms and explosives violations.

Before being sworn in, Du Plessis was warned that he could face prosecution himself if the judge thought at the end of the trial that his testimony had been dishonest.

Du Plessis was arrested in connection with the planned coup in August 2002, but charges were provisionally withdrawn by the State in exchange for his testimony.

Witness's truthfulness questioned

As Du Plessis took the stand, accused Lets Pretorius rose to ask Judge Eben Jordaan how the court would go about determining the witness' credibility.

He pointed out that Du Plessis has confessed to lying in a sworn affidavit drawn up for an earlier bail application, and that this cast doubt on his truthfulness.

"You have here a group of men sitting in jail, who will be held hostage for the next six months by the testimony of someone with no credibility," complained Pretorius.

Judge Jordaan assured Pretorius, who has no legal representation, that Du Plessis's testimony would be properly weighed.

Du Plessis, a 40-year-old farmer from Thabazimbi in Limpopo, started his testimony with anecdotes about his past political activities - which focused on the perceived security threats facing white farming communities.

He told the court of several dealings with former reconnaissance soldier Matthys "Kaalvoet Thysie" de Villiers - whom he said he met on the farm of Transvaal Agricultural Union general manager Bennie van Zyl.

Van Zyl had also been a speaker at a rally held in March 2001 against farm attacks and black economic empowerment, said Du Plessis.

Shortly after this rally he was approached by one of the accused, Mike du Toit, he said.

'The only solution to our problems'

Du Toit arranged a meeting between Du Plessis and a certain Jan Viljoen - who discussed with him plans for taking over army bases and police stations.

"He told me a coup d'etat was the only solution to our problems," said Du Plessis.

The trial was to have started last May, but testimony by the first witness only got underway in October after numerous delays caused by wrangling with the Legal Aid Board and complaints of prison maltreatment by the accused.

Self-confessed police spy Johannes Coenraad Smit, a former Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging member, finished his testimony on Monday afternoon.

- SAPA