The trial of a rightwinger who allegedly planned to fire mortars into 2010 Fifa World Cup stadiums has continued in the Pretoria Regional Court with the testimony of another undercover agent.
The agent, known only as “Mr B”, emphasised how important it was not to reveal his identity and for the court to allow him to testify in camera.
Mr B said Johannes Jacobus Scheepers, 49, “spilled the beans” at their very first meeting about the intentions of the Nuwe Boerekommando (New Boer Commando), of which he was the founder.
Scheepers has pleaded not guilty to 10 charges, including terrorism, and possession of handmade hand grenades and of a mortar and tear gas.
It is alleged that Scheepers planned to disrupt the World Cup by testing mortars in townships and then firing them into stadiums during the soccer tournament.
Mr B testified that Scheepers had said it would not be the mortar explosion that would kill people, but the stampede that the explosion would cause.
“I was totally shocked by what he told me,” Mr B said.
Scheepers harboured extreme hatred for police officers, metro police officers, and other officers of the law, the court heard.
Mr B said Scheepers had told him he wanted the mortars’ first target to be the Pretoria police station and then the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.
Scheepers was arrested in April 2010. Weapons that included R1s, R4s, R5s and a crossbow were found at his Bapsfontein home.
Mr B said Scheepers had shown him a mortar he was modifying, saying he was having trouble with the mortar head.
Scheepers also allegedly told Mr B he had killed 10 “k*****s” but “don’t ask me how I killed them”.
Scheepers’s lawyer, Dirk Human, said he found it strange that Scheepers would “spill the beans” to a stranger at their first meeting.
Mr B told the court he was in possession of a 252A document that allowed him to participate in illegal activities, but not murder.
“I had to submit a written report to my handlers every time I engaged in an illegal activity, which I did,” Mr B said.
“I submitted about 20 reports during my investigation.”
The case continues on Wednesday.
Pretoria News