Former Warder Says He Lied

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31923, 26 February 1969, Page 17

Former Warder Says He Lied

(N.Z.P. A.‘Reuter—Copyright) JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 24. A former prison warder told a Court in Johannesburg yesterday that he made a false statement about prison conditions ,to the Johannesburg newspaper, “Rand Daily Mail,” to receive a reward, but did not receive one. Gysbert Van Schalkwyk was giving evidence at the trial of Laurence Gandar, editor-in-chief of the “Rand Daily Mail," and Benjamin Pogrund, a senior reporter on the paper.

They are charged with publishing false information about prison conditions without taking reasonable steps to verify the facts. , Van Schalkwyk said he was discharged from Cinderella Prison, Boksburg, near Johannesburg, in June, 1965. A few days earlier he told a head warder, Johannes Theron, he wanted to make a statement about prison conditions. This was after Theron had said he (Theron) was to receive a reward from the Johannesburg “Sun day Times” for making a statement.

The former warder said that in August, 1965, he was sentenced to three years imprisonment for making a false statement. He had pleaded guilty to the charge. He said after speaking to Theron he had met Pogrund at Theron’s home. He told Pogrund about the electric

therapeutic machine at Cinderella Prison Hospital which was used for medical treatment.

Van Schalkwyk said that Pogrund asked him if the machine were applied to the private parts of prisoners and he replied, “Yes.” He told the Court he had said that the machine was used for shock treatment “to make it a bit more serious.” lie had made the statement to receive a reward, but he did not receive one.

Van Schalkwyk said that when he was arrested he willingly told the police he had made a false statement and withdrew the allegations about shock treatment. At his trial he testified that the machine could not cause shock or pain. He said that on appeal his sentence was reduced to 18 months, and he served nine months.