Three Saudi men were fined R2 million after they entered a plea and sentence agreement for being in possession of 1.63 million stolen plantjies.
NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said: “The [Vredendal Regional] court ordered Abdulnaser Mohammed Althenaian, his son Mohand Abulnaser Althenaian and Bedah Abdulrahman Albedah to leave South Africa within 48 hours of their release and declared them unfit to possess a firearm.”
As part of the agreement they admitted that they flew into the country on October 7 for the sole purpose of searching for and acquiring plants that they planned to export to a farm in Saudi Arabia, reports the Cape Argus.
“They booked into a guest house in a location known to have a distribution range of the flora. They then recruited four locals to assist them in illegally acquiring the flora,” Ntabazalila said.
“After spending days acquiring the flora, they left the guesthouse but were arrested on the Pofadder-Bitterfontein crossing with more than 1.63 million in flora items.
“Upon their arrest, the accused told police and CapeNature officials that the flora, concealed in their luggage, were theirs and not of the locals they recruited, which led to charges being withdrawn against them.”
Abdulnaser, 50, had served in the military, his son Mohand, 25, is a financial analyst while Albedah, 40, is employed by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.
State advocate Aradhana Heeramun said their conduct is ‘inexcusable’. “They are all educated individuals who earn a decent living and have families. The scourge of flora matters has reached epic proportions around Vanrhynsdorp, Nuwerus, Klawer and Vredendal.”