South African engineers, Peter Huxham and Frik Potgieter, face a harrowing ordeal in Equatorial Guinea's Mongomo Prison. Pictures: Supplied
The family of two South African engineers locked up in Equatorial Guinea's notorious Mongomo Prison are calling for greater urgency from the South African government to intervene in what they believe are trumped-up charges.
Peter Huxham and Frik Potgieter were arrested in February 2023 on questionable drug-related allegations and sentenced to 12 years in prison with over R100 million in fines between them.
They have since been held at the Mongomo Prison where overcrowding is rife and many Equatorial Guinea dissidents are incarcerated.
The two were arrested on Thursday, February 9, 2023, at their hotel in Malabo while preparing to board their scheduled flight the following day to South Africa. They were employed on an oil rig off the coast of Equatorial Guinea and were coming off shift to rest and spend time with their families in South Africa, according to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco).
They made their first court appearance only on Monday, June 26, 2023, to receive the formal charges against them. They appeared in court again on Friday, June 30, for sentencing. The judgment was passed by a bench of five judges who found them guilty of “Trafficking and illicit possession of drugs (cocaine)”.
The two engineers, who had not known each other before their arrest, now share a cell and a bond akin to brothers, united in their adversity.
The arrest and swift incarceration has raised eyebrows, with the family suspecting a political vendetta linked to the seizure of luxury assets in Cape Town, owned by Equatorial Guinea's vice president.
The luxury yacht has since been released after a series of tweets by Equatorial Guinea Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang, in which he said the vessel was in fact a military asset belonging to the Equatorial Guinea Defence Force and threatened diplomatic consequences against South Africa if the yacht was not released.
Francois Nigrini, spokesperson for the Huxham family said this was a clear indication that this is a political matter, which requires a political solution, and that they are victims of trumped-up charges.
Huxham, who also holds UK citizenship, was granted a brief phone call with his life partner, Kathy McConnachie on September 14, after seven months of silence.
This communication was facilitated by the UK High Commission to Cameroon. However, Potgieter, only holding SA citizenship, remains isolated from his family.
Nigrini explained the call as follows:
“Kathy was completely shocked to receive the call, and as you can imagine, it was very emotional, since she hasn’t spoken to Peter for seven months. There was so much to share and she didn’t know how long the call would be.
“In the end, the call was 21 minutes long. She did find out that Peter and Frik are sharing a cell, and that despite having never met each other before the day of their arrest, they feel they are now brothers as they together endure the terrible and unjust situation they find themselves in.
“Peter assured her that while he and Frik have lost an enormous amount of weight, they are receiving two meals a day and are allowed out of their cell for two hours a day to get some fresh air and exercise. They also have access to medication. This was an enormous relief to both families, but it does not alleviate the overwhelming anxiety and pain they live with every day as there is no indication if Peter and Frik will be freed and can return home.
“Peter said he and Frik have written letters to their families every day since their arrest, but Kathy confirmed to him that not a single one has been delivered to them.”
Nigrini said that in the final moments of the call, Peter surprised Kathy by asking her to marry him when he got home. They have been partners for over 30 years, and brought up two children together. Nigrini says Kathy didn't hesitate to say “yes“.
Shaun Murphy, spokesperson for Frik Potgieter, said: “Kathy called Frik’s wife Sonja immediately after the call. While Sonja was obviously so relieved to hear the updates from Peter, at the same time, she is sad, disappointed and frustrated that she has not been able to speak to Frik through the South African consular mission to Equatorial Guinea.
“Since their arrest seven months ago, Dirco has only managed to arrange a single visit to Frik and Peter, which did not involve any personal contact for their families.
In a statement, Dirco expressed its serious concern over the incarceration of the two.
The Director-General of Dirco, Zane Dangor also expressed support to the families and friends of the two men.
In a statement, Dangor expressed his dismay that the South African Embassy continues to be denied access to the detainees in violation of international law.
“The Government of Equatorial Guinea has failed in its obligation to formally notify Dirco and grant consular access by the Embassy officials to the two South African nationals.
“He emphasised that such access is expressly required by Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963, to which both States are parties, despite numerous official requests in this regard,” the statement said.
“The Director-General emphasised that the Government of Equatorial Guinea remains responsible for the welfare and safety of the South African citizens being held in their custody and expressed his willingness to have more direct and constructive cooperation with the relevant authorities regarding this matter.
“Dirco is ready and willing to advance bilateral relations with Equatorial Guinea. However, the continued denial of access to the two South African nationals in distress compromises the long-standing good bilateral relations between the two countries,” it said.
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