Petition for release of SA nationals

The families of two South African engineers held in prison in Equatorial Guinea have started a petition to get them freed. The engineers have been detained for more than a year, after being sentenced on drug trafficking charges, notes a Weekend Argus report. The men's family representatives confirmed that Frederick Potgieter (54), from George, and Peter Huxman (55), from Langebaan, have only been able to speak to their family three times in the 491 days they have been imprisoned. The petition, which was launched on 31 May, has reached more than 1 300 people with the words: ‘Help Free Frik and Peter – Two innocent South Africans.’ The duo was working on an oil rig off the coast of Equatorial Guinea when they were arrested at their hotel for possession of cocaine, allegedly hidden in their luggage. But the men's families are adamant that they are innocent and are hostages caught in the political crossfire between SA and Equatorial Guinea. They also believe the charges were fabricated just two days after SA seized the luxury super yacht belonging to Equatorial Guinea's Vice-President Teodore Nguema Obiang Mangue (known as Teddy). Earlier, SA had also seized his two luxury Cape Town villas. The Vice-President's assets were seized following a court ruling in SA on a separate matter.

Full Weekend Argus report