One of those sentenced to ten years' imprisonment in the Bethal PAC trial (see FOCUS 23, p.8), Johnson Vusimuzi NYATHI, was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for "attempting to escape" while he was held in detention prior to the trial. He was convicted on 1 August in the Krugersdorp Magistrates Court.
As was reported in FOCUS 24 p.6, his "escape attempt" relates to when the accused fell from a window in the Krugersdorp Security Police offices, while in indefinite detention. Johnson Nyathi spent several months in hospital after this incident and later unsuccessfully sued the Minister of Police for damages, alleging that he had been assaulted and thrown out the window. The security police, however, claimed he had jumped out of the window.
He will now serve an eleven year sentence. (WIP Nov 1979)
