Blacks found guilty

Press, 20 August 1981, Page 6

Blacks found guilty

NZPA-Reuter Pretoria • Three black , men, ,on trial in thq Supreme Court in Pretoria after attacks on a South African oil installation and other guerrilla raids, have been found guilty of high treason. They could face the death sentence.

- The court found the three men were members of the outlawed African National Congress and had received military training abroad. The judgment said they had returned to South Africa and committed the acts they were accused of with treasonable intent.

f The charge of high treason can carry the death penalty in South Africa. Three other blacks are in jail under sentence of death after being found guilty of treason last November.

In the latest case the charges related to attacks on a secret oil-from-coal installation in Transvaal province, a raid on a police station in Johannesburg, and other guerrilla activities. Anthony Tsotsobe and David Moise, both aged 25, and Johannes Shabangu, aged 26, pleaded not guilty to the main charge of treason and to charges of attempted murder, aggravated robbery, and terrorism. The court will hear defence evidence in mitigation today before deciding on the sentences. The hearing began in June. Before the start of proceedings yesterday, the three accused entered the dock singing and giving blackpower salutes with clenched fists. A handful of spectators, outnumbered by the police, were in the courtroom. Earlier the court rejected defence allegations that the defendants had made confessions before the trial under duress and .• had been assaulted , by the security police. Guerrilla. raids, mostly blamed on the African National Congress, which is pledged to overthrow' white rule by force, have increased in the past year. The latest incident was a rocket attack on a big military base near Pretoria eight days ago. The police and troops are still searching for the raiders and no ar-, rests have been made so far.