Boeremag man 'starving' in jail
2003-10-21 19:13
Pretoria - Alleged Boeremag leader Adriaan van Wyk complained to the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday that he was being "starved" in jail and denied the medication he needed.
Van Wyk, 38, launched a new bid for bail. Previous attempts have failed.
He testified before a Pretoria High Court judge that he had only received five meals over the past two weeks, and claimed the meals consisted mainly of raw eggs, bread and fruit.
He said he was diagnosed with a blood sugar problem after his arrest in August last year and was told that his condition could lead to insulin-dependant diabetes. He also suffered from high blood pressure and needed regular medication for both conditions.
He was allowed to get medication privately, but was not allowed to keep it with him in prison. He had at times received the correct medication at the correct times when he was in C-Max Prison, but after his transfer to the Pretoria Local Prison earlier this month, he had to go without food and medication for days.
"I have only received five meals over the past two weeks," he said.
"They told me to get my own container before I could get meals. My wife brought containers on two occasions, but it (sic) disappeared every time."
Van Wyk, a former commando member with a military background, also complained that he was not allowed any exercise and that his health was rapidly deteriorating in jail.
On Monday, he testified that he had never been a member of any rightwing political party of movement, but was a card-carrying member of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC).
He denied joining the party with "ulterior motives" or being party to an alleged coup plan.
Van Wyk and 21 others are presently on trial on 42 charges of high treason, murder, terrorism and contravening legislation pertaining to arms, ammunition and explosives. They have denied guilt.
Their trial is to resume on Monday, when judgment will be delivered in an application by three of the accused to have their trial stopped, claiming they had been irreparably prejudiced by the seizure of a privileged document, setting out their defence.
The bail application continues.
- SAPA