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Apartheid-era minister sentenced Apartheid murder plotters guilty
(about 2 hours later)
Former South African Police Minister Adriaan Vlok has received a suspended 10-year jail sentence for plotting to kill an anti-apartheid activist. Five former security officials in South Africa's apartheid regime have received suspended prison sentences for plotting to kill an anti-apartheid activist.
He and four others - who also received suspended sentences - had admitted trying to kill Frank Chikane in 1989 by lacing his clothes with a nerve toxin. Former Police Minister Adriaan Vlok and his then police chief Johan van der Merwe got suspended 10-year sentences.
Rev Chikane, who is now a director in the president's office, had said he did not want to see the men go to prison. The others received suspended five-year sentences from the court in Pretoria.
Vlok begged for forgiveness from Mr Chikane last year by washing his feet. Under a plea bargain, all five admitted trying to kill prominent black activist Frank Chikane in 1989 by lacing his underwear with a nerve toxin.
Correspondents say the alleged plot was one of the most striking cases of the apartheid regime's attempts to silence opponents. Rev Chikane, who is now a director in the president's office, has said he did not want to see the men go to prison.
Old divisions Vlok sought forgiveness from Rev Chikane last year by washing his feet.
The BBC's Peter Greste in Pretoria reports that two protests took place outside the High Court, where Vlok stood trial. Protests
How can there be reconciliation when there is no justice? Former ANC activist Zweli Mkhize class="" href="/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6940666.stm">Apartheid crimes dilemma The BBC's Peter Greste, at the court in Pretoria, says the case has threatened to reopen apartheid-era divisions.
One called for justice for the victims of the apartheid regime while the other demanded that members of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) should also face charges. How can there be reconciliation when there is no justice? Former ANC activist Zweli Mkhize class="" href="/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6940666.stm">Apartheid crimes dilemma Two protests took place outside the High Court during the trial.
"If the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) perseveres in not treating the ANC's leaders equally to other offenders, then any further prosecutions will amount to selective morality and a witch hunt," Afrikaans civil rights group, Afri-forum, said in a statement reported by the AFP news agency. One called for justice for the victims of the apartheid regime while the other demanded that members of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) should also face charges for alleged offences committed during the apartheid era.
But victims of apartheid feel justice should be served. "If the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) perseveres in not treating the ANC's leaders equally to other offenders, then any further prosecutions will amount to selective morality and a witch hunt," the Afrikaans civil rights group, Afri-forum, said in a statement reported by the AFP news agency.
But victims of apartheid say justice should be served.
"How can there be reconciliation when there is no justice?" former ANC activist Zweli Mkhize told AP news agency."How can there be reconciliation when there is no justice?" former ANC activist Zweli Mkhize told AP news agency.
Rev Chikane has never called for prosecutions Emergency laws
Our correspondent says the rival demonstrations underline what some commentators have been arguing, that the process of prosecutions only reopens old divisions. The attempt on Mr Chikane's life came when he was secretary-general of the South African Council of Churches.
Mr Vlok, ex-police chief Johan van der Merwe and three others admitted conspiring to murder Mr Chikane when he was secretary-general of the South African Council of Churches. Rev Chikane says he believes Vlok's statements of contrition are sincereThe five accused attempted to assassinate the clergyman by placing underwear impregnated with a powerful nerve toxin in his suitcase while he was travelling.
They attempted to assassinate the clergyman by placing underwear impregnated with a powerful nerve toxin in his suitcase while he was travelling. Vlok and Van der Merwe were in charge of law and order in South Africa during the late 1980s - a period when emergency laws granted police sweeping powers of arrest and detention against anti-apartheid activists.
Mr Vlok and Mr van der Merwe were in charge of law and order in South Africa during the late 1980s - a period when emergency laws granted police sweeping powers of arrest and detention against anti-apartheid activists. The three others were lower ranking police officers at the time.
The three other accused were lower ranking police officers at the time. A post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission - headed by Nobel peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu - investigated offences committed during the apartheid era and granted amnesty to those who admitted their crimes.
Vlok appeared before the commission, and received amnesty for a series of bombings, but did not ask for immunity for the attempted poisoning of Rev Chikane.