Three South African businessmen who were scammed by an international fraudster and then spent years in foreign jails, have now staged a protest at the SA embassy offices in the United Arab Emirates in a bid to come home.
Sello Tsolo, 54, Tjoko Khambule, 54, and Jannie van der Walt, 58, started their protest yesterday morning armed with food at the embassy's office in the capital of Abu Dhabi where they met ambassador Mpetjane Lekgoro.
The protest comes almost a year after the trio were released from prison after serving three to four years in jail for refusing to pay a bogus debt to alleged international fraudster Amit Lamba, an Indian national who allegedly posed as an investor.
Lamba allegedly invited the trio to Dubai separately in 2013 and then made them sign documents written in Arabic that turned out to be acknowledgements of debt.
They were allegedly told they would not be released until they each paid R1.3-million to Lamba.
Their passports were allegedly seized by the courts and Lamba is said to have also enforced a travel ban on them. According to media reports, Lamba is currently serving a life sentence in India for racketeering.
When they were released from jail last year they could not come back to South Africa. They claim the SA embassy was dragging its feet to resolve the matter despite a presentation made to Lekgoro on November 2.
"We came together in a bus from different parts of the country to meet here. We even brought our own food and we have given the embassy three days to resolve this matter so that we can go to our families," Tsolo said.
"It's been tough here. We don't have money and our families and people who have been accommodating us here can no longer afford to keep a roof over our shoulders."
Khambule and Van der Walt were being accommodated by families of inmates they had met while in prison. Tsolo stayed with the family of a South African man who works in Dubai. Their families in SA could no longer send them money.
Tsolo said the embassy had indicated that a submission would be made to the UAE's government to assist them. "But we won't leave this place until this matter is sorted," Tsolo said.
They have been given a single room with a mattress and a sofa to sleep in at the embassy.
Khambule, a retired former head of the department of sports, arts and culture in Free State, said he felt robbed of 38 months of his life.
"I have always maintained my innocence but unfortunately this country does not use Western law.
"Here you are guilty until proven innocent. My life and freedom have been stolen," Khambule said.
Tsolo had been working as a project manager for Setsoto municipality in Free State at the time of his arrest. He had gone to Dubai to raise money for a project.
Spokesman for the Department of International Relations and Cooperations Nelson Kgwete told Sowetan last night he was not aware of the matter and promised to do a follow-up.
Trio stage sit-in at SA embassy
Three South African businessmen who were scammed by an international fraudster and then spent years in foreign jails, have now staged a protest at the SA embassy offices in the United Arab Emirates in a bid to come home.
Sello Tsolo, 54, Tjoko Khambule, 54, and Jannie van der Walt, 58, started their protest yesterday morning armed with food at the embassy's office in the capital of Abu Dhabi where they met ambassador Mpetjane Lekgoro.
The protest comes almost a year after the trio were released from prison after serving three to four years in jail for refusing to pay a bogus debt to alleged international fraudster Amit Lamba, an Indian national who allegedly posed as an investor.
Lamba allegedly invited the trio to Dubai separately in 2013 and then made them sign documents written in Arabic that turned out to be acknowledgements of debt.
They were allegedly told they would not be released until they each paid R1.3-million to Lamba.
Their passports were allegedly seized by the courts and Lamba is said to have also enforced a travel ban on them. According to media reports, Lamba is currently serving a life sentence in India for racketeering.
When they were released from jail last year they could not come back to South Africa. They claim the SA embassy was dragging its feet to resolve the matter despite a presentation made to Lekgoro on November 2.
"We came together in a bus from different parts of the country to meet here. We even brought our own food and we have given the embassy three days to resolve this matter so that we can go to our families," Tsolo said.
"It's been tough here. We don't have money and our families and people who have been accommodating us here can no longer afford to keep a roof over our shoulders."
Khambule and Van der Walt were being accommodated by families of inmates they had met while in prison. Tsolo stayed with the family of a South African man who works in Dubai. Their families in SA could no longer send them money.
Tsolo said the embassy had indicated that a submission would be made to the UAE's government to assist them. "But we won't leave this place until this matter is sorted," Tsolo said.
They have been given a single room with a mattress and a sofa to sleep in at the embassy.
Khambule, a retired former head of the department of sports, arts and culture in Free State, said he felt robbed of 38 months of his life.
"I have always maintained my innocence but unfortunately this country does not use Western law.
"Here you are guilty until proven innocent. My life and freedom have been stolen," Khambule said.
Tsolo had been working as a project manager for Setsoto municipality in Free State at the time of his arrest. He had gone to Dubai to raise money for a project.
Spokesman for the Department of International Relations and Cooperations Nelson Kgwete told Sowetan last night he was not aware of the matter and promised to do a follow-up.
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