Family plea to SA Govt: help bring our loved ones back home from Equatorial Guinea

27 November 2023

The families of Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham, the two South African engineers being held unlawfully in prison in Equatorial Guinea, are calling on the South African Government to do everything they can to ensure their loved ones are home for Christmas. They believe this forms part of Government’s responsibility and mandate to assist and protect its citizens.

Francois Nigrini, spokesperson for the Huxham family, says: “It’s been over 9 months since Frik and Peter were arrested on fabricated charges, and there is no sign from the South African Government that they are anywhere near to securing their release. While we had a few productive meetings with DIRCO earlier this year, we have been unable to pin them down for a meeting since August, despite many attempts. As the families of these two innocent men, we need to know what progress is being made regarding efforts in getting the guys back home.

Shaun Murphy, spokesperson for the Potgieter family, says: “The reason we need our Government to intervene is because this is an entirely political matter, which can only be solved through a political solution. Peter and Frik are innocent bystanders who have been caught up in matters that have nothing to do with them.

Can you imagine how utterly powerless and distressed they must feel? Quite honestly, the families are now completely desperate. Christmas is around the corner, which is a very important time for these deeply Christian families, but without Frik and Peter at home, it will be near impossible for the families to enjoy the celebrations during the festive season.”

Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham are both highly experienced and professional engineers who were working for the Dutch company SBM Offshore in Equatorial Guinea when they were arrested at their hotel in Malabo on the evening of 9 February 2023 on trumped-up allegations of drug-related charges. They were wrongfully convicted and sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment, as well as being ordered to pay $5M USD (R93,7 million) each in damages with additional fines to be shared between them.   The extraordinarily high fines are vastly in excess of what is normal for that country.

The matter is currently being appealed by Potgieter and Huxham’s lawyers.

It is now widely understood that the arrests of Frik and Peter are linked to the seizure of a superyacht and luxury properties in Cape Town, owned by the Vice President of Equatorial Guinea, who is the President’s son. The superyacht was seized by the SA courts in February this year, just days before the two men were arrested.

In the last 9 months, the Potgieter family has been allowed one telephone call with Frik, and the Huxham family two calls. This contact meant the world to them. In a display of resilience and unwavering hope, Kathy McConnachie, Peter Huxham’s fiancee (he asked her to marry him on the call), and Sonja Potgieter, Frik’s wife, have transformed a wall in each of their homes into a visual testament of love and perseverance.

Adorned with photographs capturing the passage of time since Peter and Frik’s wrongful arrest, the walls not only record the number of days they have been unlawfully taken from their families, but also feature photographs of the many special moments missed by them during their absence.   This includes, amongst many others, the passing of Peter’s beloved mother in law in June this year.

They have also tied yellow ribbons, a symbol of hope and solidarity and a steadfast reminder of the family’s unwavering belief in justice, on trees and ornaments throughout their houses and gardens. These ribbons not only signify the resilience of the family but also serve as a beacon of awareness, urging a collective call for justice and the righting of a grave injustice that has torn their lives apart.

Kathy and Sonja have one single wish for Christmas, and that is that their families are reunited with Peter and Frik.  

“Christmas is about coming together as a family, and without Peter and Frik being home, it is not going to feel like Christmas for the Huxham and Potgieter families. We urge Government to step up their efforts to reunite our families. Our future, and that of Frik and Peter, lies in their hands,” concludes Nigrini.

FACT SHEET - FRIK POTGIETER AND PETER HUXHAM

Two South Africans, Frederik ‘Frik’ Potgieter (53) and Peter Huxham (55), were arrested at their hotel in Malabo in Equatorial Guinea on the evening of 9 February 2023 on allegations of drug-related charges, and were subsequently imprisoned.

The families have been devastated by Frik and Peter’s arrests, for crimes they unequivocally did not commit.

Frik and Peter are both highly experienced and professional engineers who were working for the Dutch company SBM Offshore in Equatorial Guinea at the time of their arrests.

They had worked for the company for 11 and 15 years respectively, and have maintained an impeccable professional record in the oil and gas industry, both in Equatorial Guinea and abroad in other countries.

Despite both working for the same company, Frik and Peter did not know each other prior to their arrest.

They received an official summons from the court on Wednesday, 22 June 2023 and the trial was held on Monday, 26 June 2023.

The verdict was delivered on Thursday, 29 June 2023.

Despite their innocence, the court found them guilty of drug trafficking, and sentenced each of them to 12 years of imprisonment in Equatorial Guinea. In addition, they were also ordered to pay $5M USD (R93,7 million) each in damages with additional fines to be shared between them.

Both Frik and Peter have denied all charges from the outset, and are shocked that any allegations related to drugs would be brought against them.

The families know that Frik and Peter, who are both much-loved, devoted family men and extremely well-respected within their communities and professionally, are innocent.

Consequently, the families are in the process of appealing this devastating and erroneous judgment, which they believe is not rooted in any fact or evidence.

The families will continue to do everything in their power to prove Frik and Peter’s innocence and to bring them home to their loved ones and to the country they love.

The priority for the families right now is to get Frik and Peter back home before Christmas, and to ensure their ongoing safety and wellbeing. They will continue to engage with the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), and all diplomatic channels, to assist in this regard.

The families believe that the release of Frik and Peter will depend on strong and successful bilateral engagement between the Governments of South Africa and Equatorial Guinea, and they urge DIRCO to pursue every avenue available to achieve this as quickly as possible.

They have already been in jail in Equatorial Guinea for 9 months - every additional day they remain in jail in Equatorial Guinea deepens their exposure to potential harm, and further distress.

Issued by Huxam and Potgeiter Families, 27 November 2023