The luxury yacht, thought to belong to Equatorial Guinea Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang, has been released two weeks after the Western Cape High Court ordered that the vessel be seized.
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The release of the Blue Shadow came amid a series of tweets by Obiang stating that the yacht was a military asset that to the Equatorial Guinea Defence Force threatening diplomatic consequences for South Africa if the yacht was not released.
According to IOL, the seizure was ordered two weeks ago after Western Cape businessman Daniel Janse van Rensburg, was successful in lawsuit against Obiang for unlawful arrest and torture and imprisonment in the infamous Black Beach prison between 2013 and 2015, after a business deal went sour.
Van Rensberg claimed that his lawyers told him Obiang petitioned the Sheriff of the Court, seeking the immediate release of the yacht which would be auctioned for around R39.8m.
The subsequent release was confirmed by the Cape Town East Sheriff of the Court.
“24 hours after the announcement of our blunt package of measures against South Africa, the Defence Ministry boat which was held by the racists of Cape Town to scam $2 million (R36.5 million) has already been released,” Obiang Tweeted on Monday.
Meanwhile, after the arrest of two South Africans in Equatorial Guinea two days after the court order was issued, the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) would not comment on whether the incidents were related.
Speaking to IOL, Dirco spokesperson Clayson Monyela however confirmed the arrests of Frederic Potgieter and Peter Huxham, from George and Langebaan respectively, adding that the two, who are employed in Equatorial Guinea, were facing charges for possession of drugs.
The pair were arrested in a hotel in March last year while they were preparing for their flight to South Africa. They are being held at Black Beach Prison, having appeared before a judge earlier this month.
“According to the company legal representative, the reason for being incarcerated at Black Beach is common in Equatorial Guinea and they consider it as preventive incarceration to avoid fleeing the country,” Monyela explained, adding that the authorities in Equatorial Guinea had 30 days to complete their investigations while the two recieved consular visits by South African diplomats.
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Picture: Twitter/ @Gibdan1
