Basson's ConCourt case on hold
2003-11-05 19:56
Johannesburg - Judgment was reserved on Wednesday in the State's application to the Constitutional Court to allow it a retrial of apartheid-era chemical and biological warfare expert Dr Wouter Basson.
This came after a two-day hearing in which counsel for the State put forward arguments in support of its case and Basson's advocate argued why this should not be allowed.
At the conclusion of the hearing on Wednesday, Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson gave counsel for both parties more time to submit further written arguments to the court.
The Pretoria High Court acquitted Basson on 46 charges - including murder, drug trafficking, fraud and theft - last year.
The State has asked the Constitutional Court for special leave to appeal against a decision by the Supreme Court of Appeal effectively preventing it from instituting a new trial.
The State also wants leave to appeal to the Constitutional Court about Pretoria High Court Judge Willie Hartzenberg's refusal to recuse himself. It claims he was biased.
- SAPA