Bar council to probe arms deal
2003-06-10 19:00
Cape Town - The Cape Bar Council on Tuesday appointed two senior counsel to probe a dispute over legal representation in a Cape High Court challenge to the multi-billion rand arms deal.
The row was sparked by a claim by Terry Crawford-Browne of Economists Allied for Arms Reduction that Ecaar's advocate Norman Arendse was "colluding with the government".
Crawford-Browne and his legal team parted ways last month, and both he and Arendse have asked the council to probe the matter.
Arendse says Crawford-Browne's claim is "completely outrageous, a figment of his imagination and highly defamatory".
Council chair Owen Rogers said the body had decided to ask two senior counsel from the bar, but who were not members of the council, to look at the written submissions from Crawford-Browne and Arendse.
They had been asked to advise the council as soon as possible whether it appeared that there was a case requiring further investigation.
The council had not decided whether or not there was merit on either side.
"We have simply asked two senior members to report back to us. We have asked them to deal with it urgently.
"The bar council will take its own view once we have that report."
Ecaar is seeking to have the entire arms deal overturned, on the basis that it is strategically, economically and financially irrational, and therefore unconstitutional.
It has estimated that the deal could cost taxpayers R287bn by 2010.
The application also seeks to have foreign loan agreements and export guarantees entered into by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel set aside.
Ecaar has been partly successful in its bid to force the government to release documents related to the deal.
- SAPA