South African helicopter pilot Brent Smyth was acquitted of immigration transgressions in a Harare court on Thursday and was flying back to South Africa, his fiancée, Drieksie Janse van Rensburg, said.
Van Rensburg said she received an SMS from Smyth saying: ”I’m a free man, spread the word, I’m coming home.”
”I’m over the moon,” she said, adding that she would be waiting at the airport for his flight to arrive.
ATS helicopters CEO Wessel van den Bergh said Smyth was on his way to the airport after being acquitted of all immigration transgressions in a Harare court.
”He has been released, acquitted of all charges and is driving to the airport now [about 12.30pm],” he said.
Smyth was scheduled to land at OR Tambo International on a South African Airways Airlink flight at about 7.30pm.
”We are all extremely happy,” he said.
Smyth was arrested last week for alleged fraud and immigration transgressions as he was preparing to ferry Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai to election rallies.
Van Den Bergh said another pilot would fly the helicopter back to South Africa on Friday. — Sapa