“Home affairs is moving with files, let’s deal with the judgment first,” said Hall.
He then said the state had decided to withdraw the criminal charges against the Libyans on basis that there had been consultation with the defence through representation.
“Therefore, the court withdraws the criminal charges and that is to allow the department of home affairs to deal with the accused administratively,” said Hall.
Speaking to the media outside the White River magistrate’s court while his clients celebrated and hugged each other after the case was withdrawn, lawyer Nico du Plessis said he did not know which airport his clients would use to return home.
“My clients are very happy now that they are going home, something they always asked for initially when they were arrested.
“In our representation, we said that our clients applied to study in White River for security in a company that we entered into a contract with, and our clients applied from Tunisia and entered the country correctly and didn’t break any law.
“We then made it clear that our clients need to be deported, not charged. They did not know that what they trained for was wrong,” said Du Plessis.
He said the deportation was part of the agreement with the state.
Home affairs minister Leon Schreiber has since instructed the department to “proceed with speed while observing all the legal processes to ensure that the deportations are conducted swiftly”.
“The department stands ready to send the group back to their home country.
“We will not hesitate to act decisively to ensure that anyone who breaches the immigration laws of the country is processed through the courts and accordingly faces the consequences. Respect for the rule of law is sacrosanct,” said Schreiber.
SowetanLIVE
Mandla Khoza and Jeanette Chabalala
www.sowetanlive.co.za
