Gay cape couple in court on drugs charges

23 Apr 2008- Cape Town, South Africa - Negotiations are underway for a gay couple accused of manufacturing the drug Kat to go on trial in plea-bargaining procedures, the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court heard on Wednesday.

Jacobus Johannes Venter, 44, and Jacques van Rensburg, 38, allegedly set up a Kat laboratory in their luxury apartment in Sea Point.

Since their arrest in 2006, the couple have appeared in court a number of times, and on Wednesday, magistrate Mogamad Esau, at the request of prosecutor Karen Barnard, warned them to appear in court again on May 22.

Their lawyer, Ben Matthewson, told the court he had given a plea-bargain proposal to the senior prosecuting authorities in Cape Town.

If the authorities approved the proposed sentence -- no indication was given in court what the suggested sentence was -- a negotiated plea-bargain agreement would be placed before the court, which would finalise the case.

The drug Kat sells for about R300 per gram on the streets.

The couple face four charges -- two of dealing in Kat, one involving the manufacture the chemical ephedrine (the main ingredient of Kat) and one relating to the alleged possession of other chemicals used in the manufacture of Kat.

Both men are out on R75 000 bail.

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