FRIDAY, 8.30AM:
SAFETY and Security minister Sydney Mufamadi has agreed not to visit three accused former guerrillas wanted for the R18m bank heist, after their lawyer accused him of “political interference”.
The former ANC cadres were arrested last week in connection with last month’s military-style ambush of a security van carrying R18m in bank deposits.
Lawyer Kabelo Seabi says that Mufamadi visited Pretoria local prison on Tuesday, accompanied by a police investigator on the case, for discussions with two of the men. He would not divulge what Mufamadi had said, but described it as “political interference”.
On Thursday, Mufamadi’s spokesman said the minister had visited the prison to examine the problem of prison escapes and the conditions of awaiting trial prisoners, and had talked to a few prisoners in the area “only in passing”.
On Friday, the minister agreed to undertake not to make contact with the men again, but his department stressed that it was not admitting to any of the allegations made against Mufamadi.