Update
GEORGE NEWS - The Equatorial Guinean government has threatened to confiscate South African assets if the multimillion rand superyacht Blue Shadow, that belongs to their vice-president, Teodorin Nguema Obiang, is not released.
The South African government has officially informed Equatorial Guinea that the 67m luxury yacht has been confiscated.
Equatorial Guinea says that the ship had been in South Africa for three years for repair work and demands its release.
The sheriff seized Obiang's superyacht in the Cape Town harbour last Tuesday, 7 February, so that the vessel can be sold at a public auction to honour a court order that Obiang has to pay about R40m in damages to Hoekwil businessman Daniel Janse van Rensburg.
Two of Obiang's luxury homes in Clifton and Bishopscourt, along with the furniture, were also seized earlier. Obiang tried everything in his power in South Africa to avoid paying damages to Janse van Rensburg, before the yacht was seized. The yacht is believed to be worth R300m.
The multimillion-rand boat, Blue Shadow, that was seized last week in Cape Town.
Vice-president ordered to pay
The court ordered that Obiang pay damages to Janse van Rensburg after the latter was imprisoned illegally in the notorious Black Beach Prison in September 2013. Janse van Rensburg had set up an airline in Equatorial Guinea with the president's brother-in-law, Gabriel Mba Angabi, who withdrew from the venture at the last minute and demanded a financial refund.
The dispute led to Angabi phoning Obiang, who was the second vice-president of the country, in charge of defence and security at the time, as well as the political head in charge of the armed forces, police and prisons.
Within minutes after the phone call, an elite security force arrested Janse van Rensburg on trumped-up charges and threw him into Black Beach Prison.
The superyacht, Blue Shadow, was seized from Obiang last week.
The worst prison in the world
The prison is described by the United Nations Human Rights Watch as the worst prison in the world. It has a reputation for systematically neglecting and brutalising inmates. Medical treatment is routinely denied and food rations are meagre.
While Janse van Rensburg was in prison, he was assaulted by fellow inmates and forced to witness many atrocities, including murder, stabbings and rape. He returned to his family in September 2015. He remained incarcerated for 491 days until his release in 2015.
Legal proceedings against playboy
Obiang is widely seen as being groomed by his father - who has been in power for 43 years - to succeed him.
Known for his lavish lifestyle, Obiang has also had his own brushes with the law in the past.
In 2016, Janse van Rensburg instituted legal proceedings at the Cape High Court against Obiang for having orchestrated his detention and subsequent torture at the infamous prison.
However, because Obiang is a foreigner, Janse van Rensburg first had to seize assets in South Africa so that the local courts could exercise jurisdiction. This led to several court cases as Obiang opposed it. In 2021, Janse van Rensburg was finally vindicated and Obiang was ordered to pay close to R40m in damages.
Obiang, the playboy son of Equatorial Guinea's president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. Photo: Instagram
Obiang has since been trying his best to avoid paying the damages owed to Janse van Rensburg.
His latest attempt failed last Friday in the Western Cape High Court when the court refused to set aside a default judgment against him. Obiang did not abide by the court rules. His lawyers eventually withdrew and told Janse van Rensburg to deliver court documents to the embassy of Equatorial Guinea in future.
He did so and when Obiang did not respond, the Western Cape High Court granted a default judgment.
Obiang went to court again to oppose the default sentence, arguing that he never received the documentation that informed him that the trial was proceeding. The court refused to set aside the default sentence and Obiang appealed against that decision as well.
Judges Derek Wille and André le Grange dismissed the appeal. The third judge who heard the case, Daniel Thulare, disagreed and said that there was indeed insufficient notice before the default judgment was granted. However, the majority ruling is binding and the order against Obiang therefore remained.
"We would like nothing more than to close this chapter," said Janse van Rensburg. "Every time we think it's finished there's just another appeal or something and it just doesn't come to an end. So, God willing, this will force them to either settle or close this so we can move on with our lives. "I'm also very grateful to my legal team who has done such fantastic work."
In September last year Janse van Rensburg, together with Tracey Pharoah, launched a book called Black Beach, detailing Van Rensburg's experiences. Black Beach can be ordered online or found in major bookstores.
The first page of the attachment order.
Obiang's superyacht, Blue Shadow, was seized and is currently docked in Cape Town. The yacht is big enough to house smaller boats.
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