Boeremag lawyers relieved it's all over

Fourteen of the men were sentenced to in effect five to 25 years' imprisonment, five received wholly suspended sentences, and one, who had suffered a series of strokes, was not sentenced. Afterwards, lead prosecutor Paul Fick SC said he felt the trial had been worth it, despite the death threats he received over the past decade. He said the trial had been fair and that the community ought to be satisfied. Piet Pistorius, who represented several of the accused, including Dr Lets Pretorius, also expressed relief that the trial was over. He said he had yet to receive instructions on the way forward, which could include applications for leave to appeal against the men's convictions and sentences. Paul Kruger, who represented the oldest Boeremag member Vis Visagie, said an application would probably follow to have Visagie released under house arrest, as he had severe health problems. With the conclusion of the trial, it felt as if a mountain had been lifted off his shoulders, he said. Full report on the News24 site

Eleven years after the first Boeremag member was arrested for high treason, only one of the 23 men has changed his beliefs, according to a report in The Times. The 23 were found guilty of plotting to overthrow the new democratic government by violence, including assassinating former President Nelson Mandela. Handing down sentence in the North Gauteng High Court yesterday, Judge Eben Jordaan said that, when one of their number, Kobus Pretorius - brother of co-accused Johan and Wilhelm - turned against the group he was ostracised not only by the group but by his family. 'He first broke with his parents because of their religion and ideology, and then he broke with the Boeremag, so he was completely alone, on his own,' said Sonia Jordaan, who has been his spiritual counsellor for the past four years. Kobus must serve nine years in jail. He was sentenced to 30 years, of which 10 years were suspended, minus the time he has served while awaiting trial. Advocate Paul Kruger, acting for Pieter van Deventer, Fritz Naudé and Koos Visagie, said all the accused still believed in their cause, with the sole exception of Kobus Pretorius. 'You have to realise that people who take this type of action are people with extremely strong views and it is extremely rare that a person who has such strong feelings about a cause will make a 180-degree turnaround in his life and start to think or believe something else.' Full report in The Times