§ 52. Mr. Ennalsasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on whose authority two officers and two other ranks of the Basutoland police were flown from Basutoland to Cape Town at the end of March, 1965, to give evidence at a trial of members of the Pan-African Congress; why their evidence was given in camera and their presence kept secret; and whether he will make a full inquiry into the circumstances.
§ Mr. GreenwoodThree members of the Basutoland Mounted Police gave evidence at a trial at Cape Town on March 15th and 16th having been subpoenaed by the South African court. The subpoenas were served in Basutoland under the Basutoland Compulsion of Witnesses Proclamation which provides for the service on witnesses in Basutoland of subpoenas issued by courts in South Africa and the Bechuanaland Protectorate. The attendance of such witnesses in the court issuing the subpoena is compulsory. There is reciprocal legislation in the Republic of South Africa.
I am not aware of the reasons why the evidence of the Basutoland police witnesses was heard in camera but it was not at the request of the Basutoland authorities.