SA formally charges DRC coup plotters
2013-02-07 13:58
Johannesburg - A South African court on Thursday formally
charged 19 Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) rebels with plotting to stage a
coup in their home country.
The group is accused of preparing to receive military
training to topple President Joseph Kabila and was subject to a special police
sting operation.
"They intended on unseating President Kabila unconstitutionally,"
government prosecutor Shaun Abrahams told the Pretoria Regional Court.
Abrahams said they are members of the Union of Nationalists
for the Renewal (UNR) of the DRC.
The would-be putschists were not asked to enter pleas and
were ordered to return to court on 14 February.
The case was also adjourned to allow investigators to verify
their identities and for the suspects to engage lawyers.
The group was arrested on Tuesday in a pre-dawn raid in a
remote part of South Africa's northern and vast province of Limpopo.
Undercover state agent
South African elite police received a tip-off about the
presence of the group in the country in September last year and infiltrated it.
The police "received credible information about a coup
and that there were rebels in South Africa to get military assistance",
said Abrahams.
An undercover state agent met a member of the group who had
"confirmed that they belong to UNR and intended to overthrow the J Kabila
government".
He said they "required large quantity of arms and
ammunition and specialised military training", said Abrahams.
They also promised to "pay mercenaries with mining
concessions".
An exchange of emails showed a wish list of equipment and
services the rebels wanted. These included satellite phones, assault rifles,
missiles, radios and military training.
The training was intended to pass as anti-poaching training
for game rangers.
- SAPA
