The Libyan Government of National Unity (GNU) has broken its silence regarding 95 of its citizens arrested in SA at what is suspected to be a secret military camp almost two weeks ago.
The nationals are being charged with contravening the SA Immigration Act after provincial police raided a farm near White River in Mpumalanga last month, uncovering what appeared to be a secret military base for training the Libyan nationals.
Police had followed a tip-off from community members of Masoyi Village near the base.
Nearly two weeks after the arrest of its citizens, the Libyan GNU broke its silence, condemning the individuals for lying in their visa applications. Despite this, the government pledged to assist the South African authorities in resolving the issue and to support the suspects both diplomatically and legally.
In a letter addressed to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, and written in both Arabic and English, the Libyan GNU stated: “The GNU has tasked its military prosecutor and the Libyan embassy accredited to SA to communicate with the relevant authorities in Johannesburg to follow up on the circumstances of this case, stressing our readiness to participate in the investigations to uncover its circumstances and the parties behind it, while ensuring the safety of the detained citizens and their treatment in accordance with the relevant international agreements and procedures,” it read.
The Libyan government also said they would be investigating who had funded the trip.
The young-looking men were discovered to have misrepresented their intentions on their visa applications, claiming they intended to study in South Africa. However, it was later revealed that they were involved in training at an illegal military camp set up on a farm.
Home Affairs said the men entered the country with visas that were “acquired through misrepresentation in Tunis, Tunisia”.
“The visa cancellation means that all the affected Libyans are now undocumented foreign nationals,” said Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber.
They were arrested during a police raid in the early hours of a Friday morning.
The Saturday Star reported this weekend that the men flew from Benghazi in their home country to Tunis in Tunisia where they applied and obtained visas to study in SA.
It is suspected that a Libyan businessman, who later deserted them at the camp, flew in the men. It has not yet been uncovered why he had brought them into SA; however, the men, who are still in custody, intimated that they were in the country to train as security officers.
A multi-agency investigation is under way at the camp.
Defence Minister Angie Motshega said she was expecting a full report on all the questions raised.
They were remanded in custody after their case was adjourned on Monday for further remand.
The investigations include rumours that the men terrorised the village community they were living nearby with some allegations of rape.
Addressing the media on Monday after court, Monica Nyuswa, the regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority’s Mpumalanga division, said the NPA, together with the police, were working tirelessly to ensure that the outstanding investigations were getting finalised.
“The matter had been postponed to get an Arabic interpreter initially, as well as for further investigations. When they appeared in court today, the Arabic interpreter was present in court. The investigations will determine whether more charges will be added and whether more arrests will be made,” she said.
The Star