South Africa’s Justice and Constitutional Development Ministry has given permission to Equatorial Guinea’s authorities to question Mark Thatcher on his alleged role in a coup plot, a ministry spokesperson said on Monday.
”Today we approved the request by Equatorial Guinea to get evidence from Mark Thatcher,” Kaizer Kganyago said.
Thatcher (51), the son of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, was arrested in his Cape Town home on August 25 in connection with an alleged plot in March involving mercenaries to oust Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang.
Representatives of the Equatorial Guinea attorney general’s office met South Africa’s Director General of Justice and Constitutional Development, Vusi Pikoli, and acting National Director of Public Prosecutions, Silas Ramaite, at about noon, Kganyago said.
They were told that the request had been approved and the procedure under the International Cooperation in Criminal Matters Act was explained.
The request was for ”gathering evidence” and was not limited to questions only. Questions the Equato-Guinean attorney general wants Thatcher to answer have been submitted already.
Under the legislation, the chief magistrate of Cape Town will be informed of the approval and Thatcher will then be subpoenaed for questioning by a magistrate.
Kganyago said there was no discussion of extradition. For this to happen, charges have to be laid in Equatorial Guinea and this has not yet happened.
Thatcher faces two charges in South Africa — contravention of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act and conspiracy to contravene the Act — for allegedly financing the coup attempt to the extent of $275 000.
The case was postponed to November 25 for further investigation.
Eight alleged coup plotters are still being detained in Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea.
Thatcher became implicated during subsequent investigations. — Sapa