South African Officials Plead Guilty

Former South African government officials Adriaan Vlok and Johann van der Merwe pleaded guilty to an assassination attempt in Pretoria High Court.

The apartheid-era Law and Order Minister and his top policeman pleaded guilty to trying to assassinate South African President Thabo Mbeki’s personal aide, the Rev. Frank Chikane in 1989, The Times of London reported Friday.

Vlok and Merwe plotted to assassinate Chikane by impregnating his underwear with a deadly nerve poison.

They have both since repented and Chikane has forgiven his former enemies, which may have been why both Vlok and Merwe’s 10-year jail sentences were suspended after the men entered plea bargains with the National Prosecuting Authority.

I am pleased that this thing is over and we can move forward. I hope that whatever happened today can be used as a way of resolving all the outstanding issues, said Chikane after the trial.