Boeremag trial to resume

2003-06-09 08:39

Pretoria - The trial of 22 alleged members of the rightwing Boeremag organisation is to resume in the Pretoria High Court on Monday, with no indication of whether it would actually get underway.

The matter has been postponed twice before due to wrangling over legal aid.

At the men's last appearance on May 26, Judge Eben Jordaan granted a postponement after the Legal Aid Board (LAB) undertook to reconsider applications for assistance from the accused.

On Sunday, the board indicated it had appointed one in-house lawyer to represent two of the accused and three lawyers at LAB tariffs to represent another five accused.

However, the board said it had failed to come to an agreement with another 12 accused who indicated they had some funds available but wanted to retain their current legal representatives on the board's account.

Kathy Magrobi, the board's spokesperson, said the board had proposed that the accused first use up their available funds and that it would take up payment thereafter but only at LAB tariff rates.

The accused refused this proposal and had therefore not been granted legal aid, Magrobi said.

Regarding the remaining three accused, one had indicated that he had funds for his defence, one never applied for legal aid and another failed to properly complete his application for aid, Magrobi said.

He was denied legal aid as a result.

The trial was to have started on May 19, but was postponed for negotiations between the board, defence lawyers and the prosecution.

The men have been charged with plotting to overthrow the government with the aim of proclaiming a Boer republic.

They face a main charge of high treason and four alternative counts each of terrorism and sabotage.

One count each of murder and attempted murder, and an alternative charge of conspiracy to murder are also listed. The rest of the 43 charges relate to the illegal possession, manufacture and use of explosives, arms and ammunition.

- SAPA