South African Engineers Return Home After Over Two-Year Ordeal in Equatorial Guinea

After more than two years in prison on questionable drug charges, South African engineers Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham have received a presidential pardon and returned home, following significant pressure from their families and government officials.

Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham, two South African engineers, have triumphantly returned to their homeland after enduring over two years of imprisonment in Equatorial Guinea on charges deemed "arbitrary and illegal" by the United Nations. The pair was arrested in February 2023 when authorities allegedly found drugs in their luggage, leading to a harsh sentence of 12 years and a staggering fine of $5 million.

Their ordeal, which included calls for support from both South Africa and the UK—given Mr. Huxham's dual citizenship—was marked by a long campaign for justice led by their families. The turning point in their case came when the Equatorial Guinea government granted them a presidential pardon, a decision welcomed by South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola.

The case gained international scrutiny, especially when the arrest of Potgieter and Huxham closely followed the confiscation of luxury assets belonging to Teodoro Nguema Obiang, Equatorial Guinea's Vice-President, in South Africa. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention previously intervened, characterizing their detention as illegal and raising concerns about the motives behind their arrest.

Upon their return, the engineers expressed immense relief and gratitude for their unexpected freedom, highlighting the emotional toll their families endured over the past two years. South African officials noted that while the fate of the seized yacht and villas belonged to the courts, it is clear that both families are overjoyed to be reunited. The case has drawn attention to broader issues of justice and human rights within the region, with observers keenly watching future developments.