Four men from Worcester, Cape, are on trial in Hermanus Magistrates Court under the Terrorism Act; charges are believed to relate to the damaging by fire of a church hall. To date few details have been reported.
The four accused are given as R. SCHROEDER, F. PHILLIPS, J. ISSEL and C. JOHNSON. Both Schroeder and Phillips told the court that they had been forced to make 'confessions' by means of coercion. Four policemen denied that the statements had been made under duress; Warrant Officer "Spyker" van Wyk said one of the accused "very freely and voluntarily admitted to me that he had set the hall alight" The case was adjourned to 15 January.
The accused in this case were being represented by Adv. B.M. Kies, who collapsed in court on 19 December and died.
