Arguments are to continue in the Pretoria High Court today in an application by 17 of the 22 Boeremag treason trialists for the recusal of chief prosecutor Paul Fick, SC.

Yesterday, they questioned Fick's integrity and accused him of trying to curtail their right to freely consult their legal counsel.

The men charged Fick with vindictiveness, and expressed fears that he would not conduct an objective trial.

Dries van Rensburg, for the prosecution, retorted it was "almost unthinkable" that accused in a criminal trial would believe the prosecutor to be objective.

"The prosecutor has to have an opinion about the accused's guilt, otherwise the case would never have been in court in the first place," he told Judge Eben Jordaan.

The judge dismissed on Tuesday morning a special plea by 13 of the trialists that the court had no jurisdiction over them.

The 22 men stand accused of planning to overthrow the government as members of the rightwing Boeremag organisation, with the aim of declaring a Boer republic.

They face 42 charges, including high treason, terrorism, sabotage, murder, and several firearms and explosives violations. – Sapa.