Money Laundering Case Postponed for a Week / One Mozambican Defendant Seeks Asylum in South Africa

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Money Laundering Case Postponed for a Week / One Mozambican Defendant Seeks Asylum in South Africa

2:53 CAT | 07 Jan 2016

In file Club of Mozambique

A court in the South African town of Barberton on Tuesday postponed for another week a decision on whether two Mozambicans accused of money-laundering should remain in prison pending a trial, or should be released on bail.

The South African police arrested the two men, Assane Momad and Abdul Ahmed, on Christmas Day at the Lebombo border post. After receiving an anonymous tip-off, the police searched their Toyota Hilux and found the equivalent of 7.3 million dollars in cash (in dollar, euro and rand banknotes) hidden in a concealed compartment.

According to a report by the independent television station, STV, the Barberton court accepted the argument from the Public Prosecutor’s Office that more time was needed to investigate the case. Prosecutors say they intend to work with Interpol, and with the South African and Mozambican customs services in an attempt to discover where the money came from. The prosecution suspects it is the fruit of criminal activities inside Mozambique.

The judge agreed that it was in the interests of justice to give investigators a further week to look into the case. The prosecution also stressed that there is no need to extradite Momad and Ahmed to Mozambique, since the case can and should be tried by a South African court.

Momad, at least, has no desire to be extradited – instead he wants to apply for refugee status. The judge gave him leave to make such an application to the immigration authorities since, under South African law, any foreigner who claims to be at risk in his home country may apply for asylum.

Momad’s lawyer, Peter Naude, told STV that the application for asylum is based on Momad’s fear for his life, should he return to Mozambique. The lawyer claimed that Momad had received death threats, though he did not reveal who had made such threats or why.

Source: AIM