Pretoria - Apartheid era killer Eugene de Kock's lawyer says his client is being held against his will at Kgosi Mampuru II Prison in Pretoria.
"They will not let him go home. They wanted him to go into witness protection but he refused," his lawyer Julian Knight told News24.
"They always come with this drama. They [State security] are scared of their own shadows."
He said there was no known threat against De Kock.
"They should deal with the [perceived] threat instead of detaining my client," said Knight.
He was on his way to prison on Tuesday afternoon to "try and talk sense to the people".
"But if they don't listen, we will approach the court."
De Kock went to the prison to meet with the area commissioner and was then told he would be placed into witness protection against his will.