SA's 'Dr Death' gives evidence

Dr Basson has been accused of mass murder

The head of South Africa's chemical and biological weapons programme during the apartheid era, Dr Wouter Basson, said at his trial that he was given unlimited power by the authorities to further his work.

Taking the stand for the first time in a court in Pretoria, Dr Basson said the then government had allowed him to exchange information with the country's enemies as long as he got more out of them.

He and his legal team are very arrogantly confident that he will be acquitted

Marlene Burger, Centre for Conflict Resolution

Dr Basson, christened "Doctor Death" by South Africa's media, has pleaded not guilty to 61 charges of murder, fraud and drug peddling.

Marlene Burger, observer at the trial for the Centre for Conflict Resolution told the Associated Press: "He shows no emotion. He and his legal team are very arrogantly confident that he will be acquitted."

Dr Basson told the court there was also no restriction on the amount of money he could spend and where he could travel to.

In return, he said, he was only required to tell the army if the country was in danger.

Poisoned chocolate

Evidence at his trial, which started 21 months ago, has revealed gruesome and sometimes bizarre details of apartheid government's attempts to eliminate and pacify political enemies.

They have ranged from plans to supply poisoned beer for tests on unsuspecting black taxi drivers, to creating poisoned chocolate and clothes and releasing cholera in the water supply at a refugee camp.

Last year a bacteriologist testified that he had freeze-dried HIV-infected blood for use against enemies as part of Dr Basson's programme.

Witnesses also told the court that the doctor had been involved in the illegal manufacture of drugs such as ecstasy to help in crowd control.

Charges dropped

The hearing also heard that Dr Basson, a cardiologist, travelled around the world on false identities to gather funds, information and materials.

Forensic auditor Hendrik Bruwer, a state witness had said in court that Dr Basson had also defrauded the South African Government of millions of dollars through companies he owned or controlled.

Fifteen of the 61 charges were dropped by the judge last month.

The trial is expected to last for three years, and follows hearings by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in which witnesses told of the development of chemical weapons, and substances designed to kill or sterilise black people only.