HEADLINES:
R/€ 
R/£ Thatcher for US after R3m coup plot fine
January 13, 2005 Edition 2
Karyn Maughan
Sir Mark Thatcher is expected to leave South Africa for the United States within the next few days, sentenced to a R3 million fine for his involvement in the Equatorial Guinea coup plot.
The fine - and a four-year suspended jail term - was imposed in the Cape High Court today after a plea deal with Scorpions prosecutors.
The formalisation of the agreement in the High Court today was marked by drama.
Police received anonymous threats before the hearing, and a Canadian protester shouted "shame, shame, shame" as Thatcher and Scorpions representatives entered the court.
A sign hung on a building opposite the High Court read "Save me, Mummy".
Holding worry beads as he sat in the dock, Thatcher pleaded guilty to contravening sections of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act according to the legal principle of dolus eventualis.
This means Thatcher admitted that his actions may have recklessly, but unwittingly, contributed to the financing of the coup plot.
The plea agreement with the Scorpions, which was made an order of court by Mr Justice Abe Motala, states that Thatcher is a licensed helicopter pilot involved in the charter of helicopters "for a variety of business purposes in Africa and elsewhere".
"He has been friends with (alleged coup leader) Simon Mann ... for many years. Mann is a highly successful businessman who has been involved in a number of mercenary activities in the past.
"In November 2003, Mann met Thatcher in Cape Town. During the meeting, Mann mentioned that he, Mann, was getting involved in a transport venture in West Africa.
"He also mentioned that he was considering becoming involved in a mining transaction in Conakry, Guinea Bissau. Mann inquired whether Thatcher would assist him by chartering a Bell Jet Ranger III helicopter for this purpose. Thatcher indicated ... he would be interested ...
"In early December 2003, Thatcher became aware of two Alouette II helicopters available for sale at Wellington and conveyed this information to Mann.
"Mann thereupon requested Thatcher to contact one Crause Steyl, who according to Mann had the necessary experience to advise Mann, and who operated his own air ambulance company.
"(Thatcher) arranged a meeting with Steyl and met him at Lanseria Airport, Johannesburg, where they discussed the cost options with reference to the Allouette II helicopters as well as the other options that may be available.
"Subsequent to this meeting Mann telephonically informed (Thatcher) that he was advised that the Allouette II was not a suitable aircraft for their purposes."
The plea agreement says that Thatcher began to doubt Mann's "true intentions" and "suspected that Mann may be planning to become involved in mercenary activity in the West Africa region".
"Thatcher began to suspect that the helicopter might in fact be intended for use in such mercenary activity.
"Despite his misgivings, Thatcher decided to invest money in the charter of the helicopter," the agreement says.
Thatcher, a qualified pilot, admitted he undertook financial assistance to Mann and Crause Steyl in the charter of an Alouette II helicopter - believed to have been owned by state-owned company Denel - and paid $275 000.
The helicopter, which was to have been used as an air ambulance, was evidently found to be unsuitable, and flown back from Namibia.
The State's lawyers have confirmed the subpoena requiring Thatcher to answer questions from Equatorial Guinean prosecutors about his role in the coup has not been withdrawn.
© 1999 - 2010 Cape Argus & Independent Online (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved.