Holiday in hell for 'drug mule'

2006-03-24 20:04

Tisha Steyn

George - A young South African, Johann Gerber, 20, who was "forced" to smuggle drugs to Mauritius, is coming of age today in a Mauritius jail after he was refused bail.

"We're at our wits' end", says his mother, Patricia Gerber.

"Our child is not guilty and he's in jail, but nobody is willing to help us get him out."

TGerber's parents say their appeals to the South African government to intervene have so far proved fruitless.

A private company is now investigating the case and, if necessary, international courts will be approached to assist in getting Gerber and 28 other South Africans held in Mauritius extradited to South Africa.

Gerber was jailed in September last year after it was alleged he had smuggled drugs into the country.

No chance to run away

His parents claim before his departure he was forced - with a pistol against his head - to swallow heroin tablets and was escorted onto the aircraft by a woman and other "attendants".

"There was no opportunity to run away," he told his parents from jail.

Once in Mauritius he was given a laxative and the next day forced to deliver the drugs.

He was arrested by the Mauritian drug unit when he arrived back at his hotel room.

After 21 days in solitary confinement, in a dark cell and with only bread and water to sustain him, he signed a confession. In it, he also described the circumstances leading up to his arrest.

"The woman who accompanied him was granted bail, but it was refused to my child. We are positive there is serious corruption, but our government maintains there are no problems," Mrs Gerber said.

She claimed two South Africans had already died in jail but authorities said they committed suicides.

A plea to foreign affairs deputy minister Sue van der Merwe elicited no reaction, Gerber said.

However van der Merwe's office manager, Johnny Moloto, said in a letter to the Gerbers that officers of the SA Mauritian consulate had recently visited prisoners and detainees "and not one of them complained about assaults or maltreatment".

- Die Burger