In light of one Schabir Shaik being in line for an (imminent) presidential pardon, we decided to take a look at some of South Africa's most famous attempts at getting a clean slate.

Allan Boesak

Crimes: Fraud

Pardoned? In 2005

South Africa's favourite cleric-turned-politician, Allan Boesak was found guilty of misappropriation of donor money meant for his Foundation of Peace and Justice project in 1999. Boesak was released in 2001, after spending a little over a year in prison. His criminal record was expunged and he received his presidential pardon in 2005 from Thabo Mbeki.

Post-pardon: Boesak said that he would be naming ANC members who received the money in his book, 'Running with Horses: Reflections of an Accidental Politician', with Trevor Manuel demanding that references to his family be removed.

Amy Biehl's killers

Crimes: Murder

Pardoned? In 1998

Easy Nofemela, Mongesi Manqina, Ntobeko Ambrose Peni and Mzikhona Nofemela were found guilty of murdering Amy Biehl in 1993 and sentenced to 18 years in prison. The 26-year-old American exchange student had just dropped off three colleagues at home in Gugulethu when her car was pelted with stones. She was then dragged out of her car by a mob and stabbed in the chest ? she was due to return home the following day. At the TRC hearings in 1997, the four applied for a pardon which was granted the following year. The parents of Amy would later forgive their daughter's assailants ? shaking their hands at the TRC hearings.

Post-pardon: Peni and Nofemela help run the Amy Biehl Foundation, a charity founded by her parents that runs after-school programmes among other activities in Gugulethu.

Adriaan Vlok

Crimes: As Minister of Law and Order during the Apartheid era, Vlok directed hit squads which carried out bombings and assassination attempts on various activists.

Pardoned? Vlok was granted amnesty by the TRC in 1999 for some of his crimes. In 2007 he applied for a presidential pardon relating to the ten-year suspended sentence he received for the attempted murder of Frank Chikane.

Adriaan Vlok was responsible for "law and order" in Apartheid-era South Africa, directing bombings and assassinations. Years after being granted amnesty by the TRC, Vlok washed the feet of Reverend Frank Chikane, who was targeted for assassination while he held the post of Secretary-General of the SA Council of Churches, in an appeal for forgiveness. He then proceeded to wash the feet of mothers and widows of the Mamelodi Ten, activists who had been lured to their death during the struggle.

Post-amnesty: Vlok received a ten-year suspended sentence for the attempted murder of Chikane ? but will not be granted a pardon anytime soon, thanks to a court ruling.

Wybrand du Toit

Crimes: Along with two co-accused, Du Toit instigated a bomb blast in Port Elizabeth in 1989, killing four policemen.

Pardoned? Du Toit was granted amnesty and in December 2005 applied for a pardon.

As commander of the security forces' technical division during the Apartheid era, along with Gideon Nieuwoudt and Martinus Ras, Du Toit was convicted of killing four policemen after deciding that "they knew too much". The trio were sentenced to 15 years imprisonment but were later granted amnesty.

Post-amnesty: Du Toit is currently trying to get his old job back after his superior, George Fivaz, made a written promise that he could return to work if he obtained amnesty. Fivaz's successor, however, has turned Du Toit down. This decision was upheld by the court in August 2009.

On page two: Dr Death, Prime Evil and the St James Church massacre?