WEDNESDAY, 3.00AM
FORMER Civil Co-operation Bureau operative and convicted murderer Ferdi Barnard, 39, will go on trial in the Pretoria High Court on February 2 next year on 24 charges including murder, attempted murder, fraud, theft and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
The Pretoria High Court set Barnard’s trial date on Wednesday. He has been held in custody in the Pretoria Moot police station since his arrest on September 1 by a special investigation team of the Transvaal attorney-general’s office.
Through his lawyer Piet du Plessis, Barnard on Wednesday indicated he will apply for amnesty for three of the crimes he stands charged with. Documents will be given to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission next week. Du Plesis declined to elaborate on the details of the application or which cases it involves, however it is believed one of the offences for which Barnard is seeking amnesty is the May 1 1989 murder of academic Dr David Webster. The deadline for amnesty applications is the end of the month.
Barnard faces murder charges for the killing of Webster and an acquaintance, Mark Frances, who had incriminated him in the attempted murder of one Daniel Mocumi. Barnard is also charged with conspiracy murder for a 1989 plan to murder now Justice Minister Dullah Omar. Other charges against Barnard include six fraud charges, seven charges pertaining to the illegal possession of arms and ammunition and several other charges including housebreaking, robbery and arson. These include illegal possession of a 9mm Uzi submachine gun and ammunition, a shotgun with ammunition and possession of an M26 hand grenade and eight teargas canisters. The charges also include diamond fraud worth millions and false insurance claims worth more than R62 000. Barnard was on bail in connection with a R10-million diamond case in Kleksdorp when he was arrested.