Alleged Mangaung assassination plotter 'unfit for trial': lawyer

19 July 2013 - 14:30 By Sapa
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John Martin Keevy at the Bloemfontein Regional Court. File photo.
John Martin Keevy at the Bloemfontein Regional Court. File photo.
Image: Foto24 / Conrad Bornman/ Gallo Images

One of four rightwingers accused of plotting to murder senior ANC leaders is not fit to stand trial, his lawyer said on Friday.

Martin Keevy, 49, of Bloemfontein appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on charges of treason and conspiracy to plan acts of terrorism.

Marius Bruwer, for Keevy, said a unanimous psychiatric report from the Free State Psychiatric Complex found he lacked criminal accountability and was unfit to stand trial.

Prosecutor Torie Pretorius told magistrate Andries Schoeman the State disputed the contents of the report and asked for a further 30-day postponement for a re-evaluation.

"The State does not agree with the conclusions of the report," Pretorius said.

Bruwer did not oppose the application.

Keevy was admitted to the complex again on Friday, where the State's experts would re-evaluate him. He would be back in court on August 16.

The State alleges that Keevy, Mark Trollip, Johan Prinsloo, and Hein Boonzaaier were part of a group who plotted to kill African National Congress leaders at the party's Mangaung elective conference in December 2012. They allegedly called this "Die Slag van Mangaung" (The Battle of Mangaung).

Keevy, Trollip, and Prinsloo were denied bail, while Boonzaaier was granted R80,000 bail.

Trollip, Prinsloo, and Boonzaaier were expected to appear in court again on August 23.

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