Boeremag pair chained 24/7
2007-01-22 23:32
Liela Magnus and Marietie Louw-Carstens
Pretoria - The two Boeremag escapees who spent eight months on the run before they were arrested at the weekend, are being held chained in leg-irons and handcuffs at C-Max Prison in Pretoria.
Rudi Gouws and Herman van Rooyen were arrested by special force members at a townhouse complex in Centurion, and taken to C-Max.
They are being kept separately from the other 20 Boeremag members.
Although they are chained hand and foot, day and night, being re-arrested does not seem to have dampened their spirits.
Paul Kruger, their attorney, said the two were looking well when he visited them on Monday.
R28 000 raised in 20 minutes
The chains made sleeping difficult, he said, but they were doing well under the circumstances.
Kruger said he had appealed to prison authorities, and they had agreed to re-assess the need for full-time restraints.
No one else in their section was kept in this way.
Marietie Louw-Carstens reports from Modimolle (Nylstroom) that R28 000 was raised in about 20 minutes to help with the legal fees of two local residents charged with assisting the two Boeremag escapees to hide from the law.
Jaco Bogaards , 47, and his wife Bess, 49, were released on R10 000 bail each by Modimolle magistrate's court.
About 200 local people had crowded around the courtroom from early morning.
Some of them were sporting the vierkleur flags (of the old Transvaal republic) and one had a pre-1994 South African flag with him.
A local dominee prayed for them and their supporters sang two verses of Die Stem.
The couple were loudly cheered when they appeared in court.
A weak and pale Mrs. Bogaards nearly fainted and had to be carried from the hall on a chair.
Daughters Ezelke, 20, and Leoné ,18, revived her with water and a damp cloth.
Praised police treatment
The Bogaards couple thanked not only the community for their support but also the police, for the way they had been treated.
An emotional Bogaards said: "They treated us well and allowed me to kiss my wife on Friday because it was her birthday."
The Bogaards were arrested on their farm, Waterbessiefontein, more than a week ago.