Four men detained in a raid on a suspected mercenary recruitment centre in Cape Town on Wednesday are being questioned by the Scorpions about possible illegal military activity.
National Directorate of Public Prosecutions spokesperson Sipho Ngwema said on Thursday the Scorpions in the Western Cape had raided the offices of International Intelligence Risk Management in Parow. They took possession of two computers, files and stationery.
Ngwema said four men were detained for questioning in connection with the alleged contravention of the Foreign Military Activity Act which prohibits the recruitment of mercenaries.
Ngwema said he could not provide any further information as the investigations were still in progress.
Scorpions investigator Andrew Leask said the four men were co-operating fully and had furnished written explanations to the allegations levelled against them.
He said it appeared from the records that about 1 500 individuals were recruited by the agency, some of whom would also be questioned during the investigation.
He said charges of fraud were also being investigated against the company and the Scorpions were trying to trace the owner of the business, a former military intelligence operative called Derek Davids.
Leask said the raid on the Parow premises was part of the ongoing investigation into the recruitment of mercenaries for illegal military activity. – Sapa