Massive breakthrough in Marumo duo hostage saga
FARPost can confirm that there is a massive breakthrough with regard to the Marumo Gallants duo, who have been held hostage for over 18 days in Libya.
The breakthrough comes after a Thursday meeting chaired by the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
It was attended by officials from Gallants, SAFA, Dr Ali Elzargha, the Libya embassy in South Africa, South Africa’s ambassador to Tunisia, and the affected two officials.
Gallants released a statement on Friday indicating their intentions to bring the pair back to the country urgently.
MARUMO GALLANTS DUO HOSTAGE BREAKTHROUGH
This publication can now confirm that an agreement has been reached, and the detained duo will return to South Africa on Sunday, 9 April.
“They have already paid 50 per cent of the amount, and they will pay the rest next week,” Dr Elzargha told FARPost.
“Enough is enough. No human should be here in this situation. Do you understand me? These guys are suffering, and they are also missing their families. I speak from my heart.”
WHAT THE SA GOVERNMENT SAID DURING THE MEETING
“The government also understood the situation, and they know that that guy [Abram Sello] is playing games. What they asked from me was proof that I paid the amount [R 667 757], and I gave them the proof. But that guy kept saying he didn’t know about these prices.
“So they were talking about the guy’s rights, and I asked what about my rights to my money. I even told my embassy to do whatever was right. I gave all the options just to let the guy pay, even for him to pay through my embassy in South Africa so that he can never have any excuse to transfer the money.”
ROYAL TREATMENT
“When these guys were here for 19 days, I paid everything for them. I was like their father; anything they wanted, I went to buy for them from my pocket. I didn’t charge them. Everyone must know that he [Abram Sello] is a bad person, and Dr Ali tried to help as much as he could.”
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