OWN CORRESPONDENT, Pretoria | Tuesday
A FORMER British spy is refusing to come to South Africa to give evidence in the trial of apartheid chemical warfare expert Dr Wouter Basson because he fears the security forces and intelligence community may threaten his life.
Senior state advocate Anton Ackermann told the Pretoria High Court that he intended applying for permission for the evidence of former British secret agent Roger Buffham to be heard in Britain, because his evidence was vital to the State’s case.
Buffham “flatly” refused to testify in South Africa because he was afraid for his life, said Ackermann, and said the court should keep in mind that “this was Africa”.
Buffham claimed to have heart problems and was not impressed when the State “suggested a good cardiologist”, nor with an offer to place him in South Africa’s witness protection programme.
Basson has pleaded not guilty to a series of murders and fraudulent transactions allegedly committed while he was head of the state’s chemical warfare programme, code named Project Coast.
He allegedly also provided deadly substances to eliminate hundreds of Swapo (South West African People’s Organisation) detainees and even South African security personnel regarded as threats to the apartheid state.
Basson’s counsel Jaap Cilliers told Judge Willie Hartzenberg he would oppose any application for evidence to be heard in Britain, because Basson had received an official warning from the British High Commissioner notifying him that he was banned for life from setting foot on British soil.
Buffham has admitted that he supplied South Africa with equipment such as protective clothing, an aircraft surveillance system, a robot used to disarm bombs and bomb proof suits.
He denied that he had supplied chemical agent monitors or chemical and explosive alarm systems to the SADF and said he had not been involved in any sanctions-busting activities.
Ackermann said Buffham would be able to refute the defence raised by Basson on certain charges and would in addition be able to place new documents, pertaining to correspondence between certain parties, before the court.
He offered to negotiate with British authorities for special permission so that Basson could enter Britain, to which Cilliers said Basson “might consider it” if the British government could give assurances about his safety.