South Africa: "Put fire in Parliament was the right thing to do"<

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According to the authorities, the alleged incendiary of the South African parliament has confessed his actions.Voices are nevertheless rising to present the suspect as a scapegoat.

The South African prosecution revealed on Saturday that the man accused of being behind a devastating fire in Parliament in January, which intends to plead not guilty, had confess to the investigators after his arrest.

"That's Christmas"

The 49 -year -old suspect, Zandile Christmas Mafe, was arrested on the morning of January 2 in the historic building while the firefighters were still fighting against fire.

Placed in detention, the man presented as a homeless appeared on Saturday in CAP for a deposit request under deposit.The audience was broadcast live on television.

Asked after his arrest by the investigators who showed him images of the building in flames, he had declared by hitting his chest proudly: "That's Christmas," the prosecution in court brought back.

In a declaration under the oath read during the hearing, Zandile Christmas Mafe said that set fire to Parliament was "the right thing to do because he does not help citizens from South Africa".

The suspect also explained to the investigators having taken action to prevent President Cyril Ramaphosa from speaking a speech to the nation scheduled for February and demanding his resignation, as well as the liberation of the murderer of an anti-apartheid fighter and aidof 1,500 rands (approximately 86 francs) for all South Africans without income.

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The firefighters had struggled more than 48 hours before mastering the fire which made no victim "but completely destroyed the National Assembly".Cyril Ramaphosa described this act as "vain attempt" to threaten democracy.

Dressed in a black suit and with an air of challenge, Christmas Mafe presented his face at his entrance to the photographers and journalists.He is prosecuted for act of terrorism, theft and voluntary fire.

"Soaked in petrol"

Asked about his confessions, the suspect who expresses himself in Tswana, one of the official languages in South Africa, and uses a translator, said: "I am not guilty".He then refused to answer most of the questions.

"You have clearly indicated in a statement under an oath that you will plead not guilty," his lawyer Dali Mpofofu, tenor of the bar who defends him for free and in particular to have defended ex-President Jacob Zuma, told court.

In this declaration sent to the court, Zandile Christmas Mafe reported that he was "severely and violently abused and intimidated" by the police.Led to the police station, "a white man whom I did not know told me that I would be condemned to death for having burned the Parliament if I did not cooperate," he continues in the document.

Since his arrest, votes have been raised to present the suspect as a scapegoat, emphasizing the breaches of security and the failures of the anti-fire systems.

According to certain elements of the investigation, the anti-fire system was defective and the maintenance not up to date.In addition, Mr. Mafe's presence on the scene was only detected after several hours.

The prosecution said, however, having images of surveillance cameras showing a man, dressed as Christmas Mafe during his arrest, "set fire to parliament using paper and boxes soaked in petrol".

A bottle of soda filled with petrol in hand, "this person has torn the curtains to make fire," said the prosecution.

In a previous hearing, Me Mpofofu said that Christmas Mafe had been diagnosed "paranoid schizophrenic".But the defense refused a new psychiatric expertise which would take responsibility for its actions.The accused risks life for life.