Boeremag 'reorganising'
2003-03-10 22:51
Pretoria - Police are searching for another alleged member of the extremist "Boeremag" (Boer Force) only two weeks after the last of the six suspects on their wanted list was arrested.
Police are in possession of classified information which suggests that the Boeremag is reorganising after the cell group, allegedly responsible for a spate of bomb blasts, was arrested.
Superintendent Johannes Vreugdenburg, investigating officer, testified during the bail application of Dr Johan (Lets) Pretorius, 56, from Makopane on Monday that police did not yet have an affidavit to support the allegations.
Police are, however, concerned that Pretorius will help to reorganise the organisation if released on bail.
Pretorius applied for bail claiming that he was suffering enormous financial losses because of his incarceration. His estate is estimated at about R9 million, which includes business interests and farms.
His legal representative, Piet Pistorius, said his incarceration could lead to a crisis, especially for elderly patients whom he has been treating for years.
Pretorius was arrested in September last year after police confiscated a mobile clinic filled with petrol bombs, ammunition, attack rifles, tinned food and sleeping bags.
His sons, Kobus, 29, Wilhelm, 25, and Johan jr, 31, were arrested in December for their alleged involvement in the bomb explosions. The last of the six suspects, Gerhardus Visagie, 63, was arrested in February.
Vreugdenburg testified that there was no evidence that Pretorius was involved in planning the Boermag's so-called coup attempt, but that he was present at a meeting in Bethlehem where the plans were discussed.
He said a bag of clothes, which included underpants with traces of Pretorius's semen, was found in the mobile clinic. Fingerprints were also found, but none of them could be linked to Pretorius.
Vreugdenburg said 300 affidavits were taken down and five of the people who made them were taken into the witness protection programme.