S. Africa Cleric Charged With Theft From Donors

Allan Boesak, the black cleric who battled apartheid with former Archbishop Desmond Tutu through five bleak years of South African emergency rule, was charged in absentia on Friday with fraud and theft from Western donors.

State prosecutor Steven Powell said that Boesak, who is teaching theology in California, and former bookkeeper Freddie Steenkamp face nine counts of fraud and 21 counts of theft.

He said the victims included Scandinavian aid agencies, Coca-Cola and American musician Paul Simon, who donated proceeds from his “Graceland” album, recorded partly in South Africa, to anti-apartheid projects managed by Boesak.

“We are arranging the [court] appearance of Dr. Boesak. His lawyers have told us he will be coming back on his own accord,” Powell said.

Boesak, who headed the anti-apartheid Foundation for Peace and Justice, has been under investigation for more than two years over the alleged disappearance or misuse of mainly Danish and Swedish aid funds totaling close to $422,000.

Boesak has denied any wrongdoing and was cleared in an investigation by lawyers appointed by South African Deputy President Thabo Mbeki.

But donors insisted on a further investigation, and the case was handed to the South African Office for Serious Economic Offences.

Also Friday, President Nelson Mandela extended the scope of South Africa’s post-apartheid “truth commission” to include a white rightist bid to derail democracy and gave offenders five more months to seek pardon.

Mandela said those guilty of human rights abuses in the fight over apartheid will have until next May to apply for amnesty.