The eight men accused of plotting to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea had their case postponed in the Pretoria Regional Court on Tuesday.
Defence attorney Margie Victor requested the case be postponed for a day in order to give a response to documents handed to them by the state. The documents, yet to be studied, were given to the defence on Tuesday morning.
The eight accused are: Raymond Stanley Archer, Victor Dracula, Louis du Preez, Errol Harris, Mazanga Kashama, Neves Tomas Matias, Simon Morris Witherspoon and Hendrick Jacobus Hamman.
The eight are charged with contravening the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act.
Victor asked the magistrate that accused number four, Errol Harris, be excused for a day or two per week as his job was on the line.
The request was refused on grounds that the Act contravened does not provide for such requests and the magistrate said he had no authority to allow it.
Charges against Maitre Ruakuluka, who was part of the eight accused, were dropped on Monday because he was to turn state witness.
They were part of a group of 61 who returned to South Africa in 2005 after spending more than a year in a Zimbabwean prison for violating that country’s immigration, aviation, firearms and security laws.
The charges related to an alleged plot to topple Equatorial Guinea’s long-time dictator, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema.
The men were among a group of 70 arrested in March 2004 when they landed at Harare International Airport, allegedly to refuel and pick up military equipment.
Zimbabwean authorities said they were on their way to join other suspected mercenaries arrested in Equatorial Guinea at about the same time.
Their trial is set down for three weeks and Pretorius told the court that there are more than 100 state witnesses.
The trial will continue on Wednesday. — Sapa