Free after spending seven months in Zimbabwe’s Chikurubi prison, two suspected mercenaries returned home to find themselves homeless and facing possible prosecution under South African law.
Zimbabwean authorities on Saturday released Pius Kanjowa and Lenatu Eselumu on humanitarian grounds due to ill health.
Their lawyer, Alwyn Griebenow, said that the Scorpions had indicated that both men would be charged with violating South Africa’s Foreign Military Assistance Act.
”We hope that as a result of their health status they would not be prosecuted,” he said.
The two were convicted in Zimbabwe in a trial relating to an alleged plot to overthrow the leadership of Equatorial Guinea earlier this year. They were serving a 12 month sentence in Chikurubi Prison for violating the country’s immigration and aviation laws.
Griebenow said the men, who are both married with children, were now destitute. They had no income and had also lost their homes..
The two had opted to spend time with their families before going to hospital for treatment. Kanjowa is going to stay with his family in Brits in the North West Province and Eselemu is going to the Limpopo Province.
Simon Mann’s family gave the men money to make their respective journey’s home from the airport.
Mann, the kingpin of the alleged plot to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, and 65 other suspected mercenaries are also serving prison sentences after they were convicted of similar charges. – Sapa