British fugitive Callum Gower appeared in the Wynberg magistrate's court on Friday where the court heard his arrest warrant from Interpol has gone missing and his arrest at his luxury R150,000 per month home was “unlawful”.
The accused returned to the dock wearing a green tie-dye hoodie and smiled at a family member in the gallery.
Gower, 27, was arrested at his home in Constantia on January 26, facing charges of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, assault occasioning bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place during an altercation at a local fair in Fish Market Road, Rye, East Sussex, in May 2014.
A second set of offences dates to 2016 and 2017 for his alleged part in a conspiracy to supply class A and B controlled drugs, namely cocaine, MDMA (a stimulant and psychedelic) and cannabis.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said Gower has been declared an “undesirable person and prohibited person” by home affairs and there is a warrant for his arrest in the UK.
Gower, however, asked the court to be released on bail of R200,000 but was denied as the state claimed he is a “flight risk” and should he be released he “has access to the required means to flee”.
The court heard Gower's warrant of arrest can only be authorised by a magistrate presented with an affidavit from Interpol, which is seeking Gower’s arrest. The state said the magistrate was presented with the affidavit and the warrant of arrest was issued. However, when Gower’s attorney Bruce Hendrick requested the affidavit from the state’s office he did not receive it.
The state then asked Interpol for a copy of the affidavit presented to the magistrate but they said they did not have one and had made an inquiry to the magistrate that the documents be given to Hendricks.
The court heard an affidavit on the “unlawful arrest” of Gower might be brought once the affidavit from Interpol has been obtained.
Hendricks told TimesLIVE on Friday, “We will proceed with his bail appeal and once we get that affidavit we are moving to have his arrest declared [invalid] and will have our client released.
“The issue of the missing affidavit we will deal with once we know what exactly happened there,” said Hendricks.
The case was postponed to July 18 for the warrant of arrest to be obtained.
TimesLIVE
Interpol warrant of arrest for UK fugitive nabbed in Cape Town missing
Image: 123RF/alekstaurus
British fugitive Callum Gower appeared in the Wynberg magistrate's court on Friday where the court heard his arrest warrant from Interpol has gone missing and his arrest at his luxury R150,000 per month home was “unlawful”.
The accused returned to the dock wearing a green tie-dye hoodie and smiled at a family member in the gallery.
Gower, 27, was arrested at his home in Constantia on January 26, facing charges of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, assault occasioning bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place during an altercation at a local fair in Fish Market Road, Rye, East Sussex, in May 2014.
A second set of offences dates to 2016 and 2017 for his alleged part in a conspiracy to supply class A and B controlled drugs, namely cocaine, MDMA (a stimulant and psychedelic) and cannabis.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said Gower has been declared an “undesirable person and prohibited person” by home affairs and there is a warrant for his arrest in the UK.
Gower, however, asked the court to be released on bail of R200,000 but was denied as the state claimed he is a “flight risk” and should he be released he “has access to the required means to flee”.
The court heard Gower's warrant of arrest can only be authorised by a magistrate presented with an affidavit from Interpol, which is seeking Gower’s arrest. The state said the magistrate was presented with the affidavit and the warrant of arrest was issued. However, when Gower’s attorney Bruce Hendrick requested the affidavit from the state’s office he did not receive it.
The state then asked Interpol for a copy of the affidavit presented to the magistrate but they said they did not have one and had made an inquiry to the magistrate that the documents be given to Hendricks.
The court heard an affidavit on the “unlawful arrest” of Gower might be brought once the affidavit from Interpol has been obtained.
Hendricks told TimesLIVE on Friday, “We will proceed with his bail appeal and once we get that affidavit we are moving to have his arrest declared [invalid] and will have our client released.
“The issue of the missing affidavit we will deal with once we know what exactly happened there,” said Hendricks.
The case was postponed to July 18 for the warrant of arrest to be obtained.
TimesLIVE
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