OWN CORRESPONDENT, Kimberly | Tuesday 10.30PM.
THE trial of right-wing extremist Willem Ratte and 10 co-accused, which opened in Kimberly on Monday, moved to the Pomfret infantry base in the Northern Cape on Tuesday for an inspection of the site where the men allegedly tried to steal weapons.
The 11 accused are charged with trying to steal a RPG7s and rocket launchers from the military base in February last year.
Seven of the men were caught and arrested in the old weapons store on the base. They supported Ratte, previously a commandant, in his claim that the group was “looking for weapons to overthrow the government”.
Ratte, a former forces soldier, has been linked to schemes by former security branch policement to train militias in KwaZulu-Natal before the 1994 elections.
The accused have denied charges of theft, sabotage and terrorism. The state intends calling at least 40 witnesses.