wfn.org | Indictment Alleges Boesak and Bookkeeper Stole

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

22-April-1997 
97170 
 
                    Indictment Alleges Boesak and Bookkeeper 
                              Stole $2 Million 
 
                               by Noel Bruyns 
                         Ecumenical News International 
 
EAST LONDON, South Africa--Prominent clergyman and former leading African 
National Congress official Allan Boesak and his bookkeeper misappropriated 
9 million rand ($2,025,000), not the R1 million first reported, it was 
alleged in the Cape High Court in Cape Town April 14. 
 
     The indictment against Boesak, who was a high-profile campaigner 
against apartheid, and bookkeeper Freddie Steenkamp is 58 pages long. They 
face 20 counts of theft and 11 of fraud, and the trial has been set down 
for August 4 in Cape Town.  The indictment claims they fraudulently spent 
R5.7 million of funds from churches in Nordic countries and that they stole 
a further R3.3 million of the same funds. No pleas have been entered by the 
two defendants, though  Boesak has repeatedly claimed he is innocent.  
 
    DanChurchAid, the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and 
the Church of Norway channeled the funds through the Foundation for Peace 
and Justice (FPJ), of which Boesak was director, for development projects 
and to help victims of apartheid. 
 
    The indictment tabled in court yesterday alleged that Boesak personally 
enriched himself by R1.12 million and Steenkamp by R1.3 million. 
 
    Detailing examples of the alleged fraud, the "Cape Times" newspaper 
today reported that a "social upliftment project" allegedly received only 
R20,440 of the R196,375 given by the foreign donors. 
 
    "A total of R22,487 was donated for child protection services, [with] 
the project allegedly receiving nothing," the newspaper said. 
 
    Boesak and Steenkamp also are accused of stealing R447,111 from a 
"Children's Fund" that was set up to assist young victims of apartheid. 
 
    The indictment also claimed that the men made false claims about money 
donated by the U.S.-based Coca-Cola Foundation for another social 
upliftment program and deposited only a fraction of the R682,261 donated by 
U.S. singer Paul Simon. 
 
    Boesak and Steenkamp made false annual financial statements to donors, 
the indictment stated.  "This was done to conceal the personal loans and 
the high expenditure on salaries and transport costs  and at the same time 
attempt to demonstrate that a lot of money was spent on projects -- which 
would have influenced donors to make further donations," the indictment 
continued. 
 
    Boesak was also individually charged with failing to fulfill his duties 
as a trustee and director of the FPJ. 
 
    The "Cape Times" reported: "Donors, the indictment said, were prepared 
to donate money to the foundation year after year because they trusted Dr. 
Boesak as a minister, the moderator of the Dutch Reformed Mission Church 
and president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches." 
 
    He allegedly misled donors to believe that he would not be negligent or 
reckless with funds and that they would be used for the purposes for which 
they were earmarked. 
 
    The South African Council of Churches last week issued a public 
statement expressing its "continued friendship and fellowship" with Allan 
Boesak. "It does not mean that we have chosen sides in the case now to be 
heard in the High Court. It simply means that Allan Boesak is a friend who 
was one of us during the years of struggle and remains one of us now, 
whatever his personal circumstances." 
 
    In California, supporters of Boesak have organized an Allan Boesak 
Public Support Committee and an Allan Boesak Defense Fund.  

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