JOHANNESBURG - Retired cop Joao Rodrigues, 81, who is accused of the murder of anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Timol, will go on trial in December.

The South High court on Wednesday said Rodrigues, will finally be in the dock for the murder, which happened four decades ago.

Timol, 29, was arrested in Johannesburg in October 1971 and died five days later. Rodrigues was the last person who saw him alive.

The accused, whose bid to have the matter quashed has failed, testified in the 1972 inquest which ruled that Timol committed suicide by jumping to his death from the 10th floor of the John Voster Square building in Johannesburg.

The building has since been renamed as Johannesburg Central Police Station.