*Vlok to Be Charged Over Chikane*

http://allafrica.com/stories/200707170159.html

*Business Day* (Johannesburg)

NEWS

17 July 2007

Posted to the web 17 July 2007

By Ernest Mabuza

Johannesburg


FORMER law and order minister Adriaan Vlok, former police commissioner Johan
van der Merwe and three other men would be charged with the attempted murder
of Frank Chikane, a former anti-apartheid activist and now director-general
in the Presidency, the National Prosecuting Agency said yesterday.

This is the first case of prosecution of apartheid-era atrocities in which
alleged perpetrators were denied amnesty by the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission or did not seek amnesty, and it follows an amended prosecution
policy drafted last year to deal with such people. More than 7000 petitions
were received and 849 people were granted amnesty.

Agency spokesman Panyaza Lesufi said the five were due to appear in the
Pretoria High Court next month to explain their roles in the attempted
murder in 1989. In 2004, Vlok and four others were to stand trial for the
attempted murder but the case was withdrawn as the agency did not have
guidelines on how to proceed with truth commission cases.

Vlok did not admit to poisoning Chikane at the commission, but sought
amnesty for the bombings of Khotso House and the South African Catholic
Bishops' Conference headquarters.

Vlok met Chikane last August and washed his feet, seeking forgiveness for
past deeds. Chikane said that while he accepted Vlok's gesture, he wanted
the law to take its course regarding the attempts on his life.

Lesufi also announced the National Prosecuting Agency found the remains of
what were believed to be the bodies of the "Pe bco Three" in Cradock last
Thursday. Sipho Hashe, Champion Galela and Qaqawuli Godolozi of the Port
Elizabeth Black Civic Organisation disappeared from an airport in Port
Elizabeth in 1985.

The late former security policeman Gideon Niewoudt said their bodies were
burnt and thrown into the Fish River.

Lesufi said the remains of three bodies were found in a septic tank.

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html

To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤