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South Africa: “Dr. Death” Found Not Guilty on All Counts Wouter Basson, the former head of apartheid-era South Africa’s chemical and biological weapons program, was found not guilty today of 46 criminal charges, including the murder and attempted murder of anti-apartheid activists (see GSN, April 10). “I find the accused not guilty on all the charges,” said Judge Willie Hartzenberg before the crowded Pretoria courtroom. Whites in the audience applauded at the judge’s decision to acquit Basson, dubbed “Dr. Death,” according to Reuters. State prosecutors said they would go to court on April 29 to obtain permission to appeal the verdict. The audience at Basson’s trial included both prominent former officials from South Africa’s apartheid government and residents of a nearby township, Reuters reported. “It seems very unfair to me,” said Sidney Maladzhi. “Many people died and the judge did nothing about it. There was so much evidence against him.” “Justice has been done and the judge was very fair,” said Constand Viljoen, a former general in apartheid-era South Africa’s military (Sue Thomas, Reuters/Yahoo.com, April 11).
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