The Chronicle

BULAWAYO, Friday, September 9, 1966 —Artwell Barrymore van Rooyen of Basil Road, Sauerstown, Bulawayo, pleaded guilty in Bulawayo Magistrate’s Court yesterday to charges of attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice amid aiding and abetting Eric Owen Wilson to enter Rhodesia illegally.

Winson, the Natal farmer-pilot who is serving a month’s jail sentence for illegally entering and leaving Rhodesia, told the magistrate, Mr Rodney M Woodrow that Van Rooyen had brought him to Rhodesia in the boot of a car.

Winson was unsmiling and ignored a wave from his wife as he was escorted into the court by three policemen. He told the court that in August he flew from Beira to Francistown where he arranged to meet Van Rooyen.

He intended seeking work as a pilot in Zambia, but was frightened to enter Rhodesia through legal channels. “In 1960 I was advised to leave the country after a business I was running became insolvent”, he said.

Winson said he lived on a farm in the Nyamandhlovu area for a few days. He heard police were looking for him. “I decided it would be best to leave the country”, he said.

He said Van Rooyen drove him to Wankie. A cousin of his, Roy du Plessis, had taken him across the Zambezi into Zambia.

Winson denied in cross-examination that Van Rooyen knew why the police were seeking him (Winson).

“The whole thing is my fault. He was just trying to help me out,” said Winson.

Roy du Plessis, who was fined £25 or 25 days at Wankie Magistrate’s Court, recently for leaving and entering Rhodesia illegally, said that Winson told him he had to get out of the country because the police were after him.

The case is to continue on September 26,Van Rooyen was remanded out of custody until then.