Local News
Mangaung treason trial: Wrap of today─── SABRINA DEAN 15:30 Fri, 14 Feb 2014
Sabrina Dean
Bloemfontein - Judge Mojalefa Rampai will rule on Monday whether the evidence of state witness Andries Botha in the Mangaung treason trial is admissible in court or if it should be struck from the record.
Johan Prinsloo is accused of plotting to kill the ANC leadership during its elective conference in Mangaung in 2012.
Defence advocate Johann Nel today argued in terms of section 217 of the Criminal Procedures Act, that confessions taken by a police officer must subscribe to certain procedures.
Nel told the court he disagrees with state advocate Torie Pretorius’s argument regarding a confession versus an executive statement, saying it is not fair to say that Prinsloo’s utterances were not a confession because they related to things that had not happened yet.
Nel told the court he disagrees with state advocate Torie Pretorius’s argument regarding a confession versus an executive statement, saying it is not fair to say that Prinsloo’s utterances were not a confession because they related to things that had not happened yet.
Judge Mojalefa Rampai said he needs time to read more and will rule on the matter on Monday. He requested that the case continue with another witness and the state called Tollie Vreugdenburg, lead investigator in the Boeremag case, to the stand.
Vreugdenburg recounted taking a statement from farm employee Gerrie Robbertze, who also pointed out where he had thrown a case of ammunition from a bridge into the Nylsvlei. This was recovered by police divers and presented to the court as exhibit N.
The case continues on Monday.
