UK man facing drug charges appeals bail ruling

The UK man accused of fleeing his hometown and hiding in Cape Town while facing drug charges, has made a new bid for freedom as he appeals his bail outcome in the Western Cape High Court. A Cape Argus report says this was revealed in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court as Callum Gower returned for a court date, amid issues with missing documents ahead of his extradition hearing. Gower, and his mother, Caroline Sevier, were caught by Interpol several months ago while respectively living in Constantia and Sea Point, for allegedly fleeing their home in Sussex as they faced a string of drug charges. Both bail applications have since been denied by local courts but court proceedings were hamstrung last month after it was revealed that the affidavit which formed the basis of the arrest warrant could not be found as requested by defence lawyer Advocate Bruce Hendricks. He said the affidavit showed that other individuals had been arrested in the UK on the mentioned charges. ‘We have filed the practice note and we are waiting for a date to be set for the appeal to be heard.’ The report notes the case was postponed to 7 August.

Full Cape Argus report