South Africa: Nine in Court for Alleged Contravention of Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act 15 of 1998

What the report says

Nine foreign nationals have appeared in two Gauteng courts in South Africa after their arrest in connection with an alleged attempt to leave the country and join the Russia-Ukraine war, according to SAnews.gov.za, distributed by AllAfrica. The case was heard in the Kempton Park Magistrates’ Court and the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court, with the arrests linked to separate locations: OR Tambo International Airport and a hotel in Bruma.

The National Prosecuting Authority said the accused face charges under the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act 15 of 1998, a law that restricts unauthorized foreign military involvement involving South Africans and, in some cases, activities carried out from South Africa. The arrests were made after what authorities described as an intelligence-led investigation involving a multidisciplinary team.

Court proceedings for the five accused who appeared in Kempton Park were postponed to allow them to obtain legal representation, while the four others were expected to return to court for the same purpose later in the week. The NPA said the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty and emphasized its intention to prosecute alleged breaches of South African law. The case highlights South Africa’s role as a transit point in foreign conflict-related travel and the legal scrutiny such movements can attract.