The 95 Libyan nationals arrested at an illegal training camp are preparing to be deported back to their country after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) withdrew charges at the White River Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, NPA spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said the NPA took the decision to withdraw all the charges of the 95 Libyan citizens.
She said the Department of Home Affairs had taken over the process to deport the Libyan nationals.
“Going forward, the administration process is going to be taken in order to be deported back to their country,” she said.
She said the charges were dropped because they were not sustainable enough to convict them.
The withdrawal came after their lawyer Nico du Plessis filed an urgent requisition.
‘The Star’ reported earlier that Libyans had demanded to be taken home.
It is understood a Libyan businessman had flown the Libyan 95 in April this year.
They allegedly flew from Benghazi in Libya to Tunis in Tunisia, where they applied for student visas to South Africa, then landed at OR Tambo International Airport, destined for a farm in White River.
It has not yet been revealed why he had brought them into South Africa. However, the men, who are still in custody, intimated that they were in the country to train as security officers.
The men appeared for a second time in the White River Magistrate’s Court on Monday but their case was postponed to the 26th of this month for further investigations.
They are being charged with contravening the South African Immigration Act after provincial police raided a farm near White River last month, uncovering what appeared to be a secret military base for training the Libyans.
The men said they had come to South Africa to be trained as security officers and they did not know why they had been arrested.
They said the businessman had brought them to be trained but had deserted them.
The raid has raised more questions than answers, with authorities seeking to uncover the true intentions of the Libyans and the purpose of their training. The men were found to be involved in military-style training, sparking concerns about national security.
The incident has also highlighted regulatory failures, with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA) admitting that it only learnt of the illegal training on July 8 despite authorities having had intelligence about the Libyans’ arrival in April.
The watchdog, during a media briefing in Tshwane on Wednesday, informed journalists that investigations found that the training facility was illegal. It was considering legal action against the trainers and individuals linked to the facility.
The security regulator also found the instructors were foreign nationals who were uncredited and used false military ranks at the facility owned by Milites Dei Security Services (MDSS).
Du Plessis said that the men were going to be deported within 48 hours.
“Home affairs have taken over. We are busy with the arrangements. There is a possibility that they would be out of the country within 48 hours,” he said.
He added that he was not aware of any other offences or charges.
In a statement, the Department of Home Affairs welcomed the court decision.
“Home Affairs Minister, Dr Leon Schreiber, has instructed the department to proceed with speed, while observing all the legal processes to ensure that the deportations are conducted swiftly.
“Consequently, Home Affairs officials are in court to secure the confirmations for deportation from the magistrate. This will pave the way for their deportation. They are also finalising logistics for the deportation. As indicated earlier, deportation was among the options Home Affairs considered working with other law enforcement authorities. 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 Minister Schreiber.
The Star