Security company Omega International Associates has denied its employees arrested in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) were involved in a coup plot.
Christo Roelofse, MD of Omega, said on Wednesday the company’s subsidiary is a registered security company in the DRC.
”Omega’s actions in the DRC were carried out with the firm belief that all the regulatory prescripts were being adhered to,” he said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday that 26 people were arrested in the DRC on Friday on allegations of ”destabilisation of government institutions”.
Departmental spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said 19 were holders of South African passports, alongside three Americans and four Nigerians.
He said 16 of the South African passport holders were members of Omega, which has contracts with the DRC’s National Transport Office for the training of security personnel in Matadi, Boma and Mouanda.
The other three South African passport holders worked for a mining company, Mirabulis, as interpreters.
”The South African mission in the DRC will continue with efforts to verify the nationalities of the detainees with a view to providing full consular assistance whilst monitoring investigations,” Mamoepa said.
Roelofse said no charge has been laid and Omega is still unclear about the reason for the arrests.
He said the company provides integrated security solutions to the DRC National Transport Authority to upgrade its ports to comply with the International Ship and Port Facility Security code standards. It also provides security services to the Cilo cement factory.
The company is also assisting an American security company with ”logistical and administrative support” for the VIP protection of Oscar Kashala, a presidential candidate in the DRC, during his election campaign in the country.
”For the last three months the client has been in the DRC scouting a safe environment for Dr Kashala to operate from. As part of these services Omega was approached to assist with security aspects due to their knowledge of the DRC and their record as a reputable security company in the DRC,” Roelofse said.
It believed that all the necessary procedures were being followed. ”Omega would under no circumstances jeopardise its position in the DRC as this would be committing business suicide.”
The company is in discussions with the South African embassy to help its staff.
”Omega denies that the company or its employees have been involved in any wrong doing or illegal activities in the DRC,” Roelofse said. — Sapa