Two South Africa’s engineers returned home after spending more than two years in jail in equatorial Guinea in what “dropped rice” and illegal “complaints are called.
Fric Cot Potgieter and Peter Hoxham, both in the mid-50s, arrested on February 2023 after the drugs were announced in their luggage.
They were sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined $ 5m (£ 4m) but given an apology to the President after a long campaign in their families and government in South Africa.
Their arrest comes days after luxury assets belonging to the equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Nuung Obiang obtained in South Africa.
A yacht and two Cape Town Villas belonging to Oniang, which is also the son of Equatorial Guinea, impounded to impose an Judge the court.
“We have been overcome with comfort and happiness. The last two years and four months of unthinking for our families,” according to a statement released by two men’s families.
They work for Dutch Oil and Gas Company SBM in Equatorial Guinea when they arrested the night before they returned home after five week strints in the country.
Families called on the help of South Africa government as well as the UK government, while Mr Hoxham had double nationalities.
“South Africa declares sincere thanks to the Government of Equatorial Guinea for consideration and consent by Mr Hoxhameter to return to their loved ones,” as A post in X in South Africa Foreign Minister Minister Ronald Lamola.
The United Nations group of unjust detention last year calls to release pairs, saying their control is against the law.
Their families say that the pair is arrested for retaliation for the seizure of properties belonging to the Vice-President of Equatorial Guinea.
Contacted the BBC equatorial Guinea for comment.
South Africa official told the BBC for the courts to decide the fortune of the yacht and villas, and the government did not intervene.
