'Lying Spy’ Affair

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32235, 2 March 1970, Page 13

'Lying Spy’ Affair

I (N Z.P A -Reuter—Copyright) J JOHANNESBURG, Mar. 1. Renewed criticism of the South African Government’s security methods has been expressed over the case of an unidentified secret police agent, code-named “X 54 who was denounced by a Supreme. Court judge for perjury. The “Rand Daily Mail.” in a scathing attack on the Government. said yesterday: “If lying spies are acceptable as' instruments, then there is a! Gestapo charter .‘or policemen everywhere to connive at convictions.” The unidentified agent was a chief State witness in the sabotage trial, in which all the

121 Africans accused were ac-is | quitted after the presiding;, judge, Mr Justice Theron,! said that “X 54 had lied. But the Minister of Police!' (Mr Lourens Muller), ques-lt tioned about the anonymous; agent in Parliament on Fri-jl day, admitted that no perjury 11 I charges had been brought,;! and he would not say whether )s the agent was still in police; s employment, because this? would be prejudicial to State ! security. " The agent admitted ,at the It , trial that he had previously | lied in Court at an earlier 1 i trial. t “In view of Mr Muller’s re-;< ’ fusal to act against the agent. | > is it possible that he is still i pursuing his illustrious I - career with the blessing of.' t his employers?” the “Rand , Daily Mail” asked. [t > “Even now. ‘X54’ may be j t, conducting another assault t ton human liberty in the']

sacred name of State security. “We know the truth now—and it should make the country shudder.” A Progressive member of) Parliament (Mrs Helen Suz-| man), who questioned the) Minister yesterday, has de-' scribed the case as “representing one more assault on dwindling personal liberty in South Africa.” Mrs Suzman said that such acts meant that innocent people were in danger of being punished for crimes they did not commit because of the evidence of unreliable police witnesses. Political sources say that the “lying spy” affair will provide new ammunition for the parties opposed to the Gbv-[ eminent during their campaigns for the April 22 General Elections, now that Parliament has been dissolved.;