A case of the 95 Libyans facing a charge related to the Contravention of the Immigration Act after they were arrested at a suspected military training camp in Mpumalanga was set to resume this morning after an “urgent requisition” from their legal representatives.
During the accused’s last court appearance on August 6, their case was postponed to August 26, for them to consult with their lawyers and to allow further investigation.
However, on Thursday morning Mpumalanga police spokesperson Col Donald Mdhluli sent messages to journalists that the case was back in court this morning.
“Urgent: Good [morning] colleagues, let’s all meet at White River magistrate’s court early this morning. There’s a breaking story regarding the 95 Libyan nationals. They are appearing in court,” read the WhatsApp message from Mdhluli.
Spokesperson of the National Prosecuting Authority in Mpumalanga Monica Nyuswa told Sowetan that the appearance emanates from a requisition tabled by the lawyers of the 95 men.
“There’s nothing much to say now, but there has been a requisition from the lawyers of the accused to the prosecution that the case appears today,” said Nyuswa.
During the postponement of the case on August 6, the men staged a protest demanding that they be returned to Libya.
Speaking in translations from their Arabic language they also called to be given food and cigarettes.
All the men are represented by Adv Nico du Plessis, who stated that he was instructed by a Cape Town-based law firm.
SowetanLIVE
Mandla Khoza
www.sowetanlive.co.za
