Mercenary tells of torture in Black Beach prison

Animal Farm-1209 is deeply disturbed by that these mercenaries have been let off the hook lightly, these guys belong in hell and should have been wiped of the face of Afrika.

Animal Farm-1209 is of the view that this so called adviser to President Obiang Nguema should be investigated and prosecuted for not doing a good job; he should have beaten the hell out of these mercenaries, beaten them for doctors and slaves and should not have stopped even when they have thoroughly wetted and soiled their pants.

Afrikans in Afrika and those Afrkans in the diaspora have suffered immensely at the hands of westerners and for these guys to let off the hook with a slap on the wrist is unacceptable.

Afrika must defend herself and its territorial integrity and in doing so anyone who has designs to heap some brutality on our beautiful people should think 1 000 times before acting.

Afrika should have a punishment that can send shivers to Angels both in heaven and in hell.

Animal Farm-1209 is for a Peaceful and Prosperous Afrika!!

Sinudeity thinks that for someone who wants a peaceful and prosperous Africa, you sure speak alot of violence. Hopefully you and I can stand together against Mugabe in a likewise fashion.

Pres Obiang Nguema is a Mandela wannabe. It takes more than releasing the mercenaries to be in Mandela's league!

These mercenaries should have been locked up for a long time, peroid!

Although I also would like to see sentences carried out on these mercenaries, most are small fry.

What I hope now is, that with the release of du Toit and Mann, that the "Big Fish" can now be brought to book.

It would make me the happiest man on the planet is that Mark Thatcher (in particular - a more odious man I never met), Jeffrey Archer and other alleged co-conspirators are prosecuted under relevant British Laws. Then have them all extradited to EQ to spend the rest of their unnatural lives in Black Beach prison.

Then Animal Farm-1209, strangely enough I would not disagree with your treatment to be handed out to these fellows. However, I am glad to see you have reasonable policies for a bright African future.

This du Toit is ungrateful, he was trying to topple a country, he was given a presidential pardon and now he complains about minor things like being tortured in prison with electric shock devices and burning cigarettes.
Does he have an idea how many innocent people were going to die has their mission succeded.
He should be taken back to Black Beach prison for being ungrateful and for rubbishing the name Equatorial Guinea's government.

Anyone who believe this crap is an idiot and until such time that this bloodthirsty idiot produces evidence that the state and the government were aware of his actions these will just remain stupid allegations. The fact that one or two individuals working for the state were aware of this bound to fail plot does not mean that the government was supportive of this. The fact that he and his gooms were arrested with the reported assistance of the government agencies is testimony to that. The agent/ agents in question would not have stopped him from going ahead with his attempt but action was taken. That in his little mind he formed an opinion that there was government support shows how stupid and greedy he was. He went to that country solely for monetary gain as that is what all mercenaries do. They did a great thing by torturing him so that he knows and understands the pain he would have caused. This should serve as a warning to all the war machines running amok among us that crime does not pay. Perhaps it would be a great idea to prosecute him and see whether his allegations will stand in court. Sipiwo Pahlane

Sipiwo Pahlane seconded.

Thirded (is that a word? - well it is now).

They should have been killed because they will attempt to do the same thing again.

This man went to overthrow a government. Killing people would probably not out have been of the question. Why should I feel sorry for him? Why should he get any publicity?

Do common house burglars get a story out about their stint in prison?

Max, Ken & Sipiwo,

I hope you supported guys like Eugene de Kock and Dirk Coetzee as well. Wot's a bit of torture between friends as the end justifies the means. Good to see humanity is alive and well in Africa!

Winnie also tortured people.

the first mercenaries were the first whites who came to africa. their descendants continued the family business of oppressiion, rape,murder etc.To this day Africans still live in all forms of oppression because of the descendants of those mercenaries...when will it end?

South Africa prides itself in its constitution which entrenches basic human rights. Torture in any way or form is unacceptable, regardless the crime. I am therefore disturbed by the commnets I read here. Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised. Having watched Carte Blanche last night on how detainees are treated by the SAPS right here at home, it seems to be par for the "African" course.

"Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another" - The words of a great man! Pity you guys don't use it to free Africa from itself!

You should be greatful that you came out of hell alive. However du Toit should remember that he went there to harm and to kill instead he was harmed himself and his colleagues. While du Toit greatful I'm sure your family is pleased with your return, hopefully you will never again take an assignment of taking a delibarate decision to distabilise another country.

I guess they expected, first class treatment, steak, crystal and the works...Its not our problem that they failed to execute their tasks with ease and diligence... figuratively speaking, they should learn from 'Chuck Norris and John Rambo'.

Typical Africa....and to those of you who support the torture of these individuals... Typical African....

This guys were going to massacre millions of africans. they should have cut their private parts and give them to dogs for snacks. This bastards do not have plece in the society. They go around distabilizing african government for the sake of making M Thatcher (British) rich. I wonder if Thatcher was a member of the taliban, was Scotland Yard going to just leave him like this. Hell no. The difference is the blood that was going to be spilt was an African one. This guys still think that Africans are like animals and you can just kill without accounting. It is time that each an every

WHO IS AFRICA’S WORST DICTATOR: MUGABE ? THINK AGAIN

http://www.slate.com/id/2193870/pagenum/all/#page_start

Remember: mercenaries are recruited by third parties, who pay them substantial amounts to carry out a mission - the mercenaries hardly interested in who is the target. Like so many other missions, nobody gets killed – new leaders take care of previous leaders

My opinion: these guys were recruited by a foreign country to carry out their dirty work and protect such country’s interests and benefits.

Remember the involvement of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in cocaine trafficking in Central America during the Reagan Administration as part of the Contra war in Nicaragua .since the mid-1980s. (Wikipedia)

Be careful to judge before facts are known.

jeeezzz. Nugema is hardly a stand up guy worth supporting, guarantee you he has killed more africans than all of these mercenaries combined - several times over...

Mphaphuli: 'This guys were going to massacre millions of africans' - Mugabe did massacre hundreds of thousands of Africans. Mugabe tortures and kills fellow Zimbabweans to this day.

I just find it funny, that so much noise is made about this one mercenary, but then silence when other African atrocities are mentioned.

With that said, Thatcher and Mugabe will NEVER EVER have to face a court for all their criminal charges.

No justice for the rich or politically connected.

Tendani Mphaphuli on November 23, 2009, 11:24 am

You are watching to many horror movies.

Back to your posting: STOP GENERALISING AND ASSUMPTIONS - GET THE FACTS

This guy is a mercenary. By a simple definition he is a soldier of fortune and a gun for hire. Whether he went to overthrow Mugabe or Nguema is neither here nor there. The fact of the matter here is that he had no mandate from any recognised structure to do so. The fact that he was prepared to break the law of his own country and the international law against mercenary activities disqualifies him as somebody with a good cause. There are structures like AU, UN and others that have a clear mandate to intervene on these matters and not mercenaries. He was in it for monetary gain. There is also no comparison between Eugene and Coetzee and this idiot. They were working under orders of some sort whether lawful or unlawful and that is why they accounted at the end of the day.I am not sure whether the persons making comments are aware what mercenary activities are and what form of results they hope to achieve. At one time this man denied ever involving himself in these activities but now he sings a different tune and heaven knows if he has learnt his lesson. He had no business in Nguema s country. He should be charged here in SA to get to the bottom of his story. Period!. Sipiwo Pahlane

I agree Andre..to many horror movies....People,it seems that a lot of people are still stuck 100 years back. We all in South Africa must make this a better place...forget what happened in the past.A lot of bad thing happened from all sides. Let us concentrate on the here and now ie Eiskom tarrif hikes,bond apyments etc. All the above attacks is to one man...what about the buggers BEHIND the coup..maybe a few people we know.But this is a typical scenario: a few men takes the fall for the greater course and get hammered from all sides..good and evil will be with us forever,in equal quantities,if you want to know it or not.I know of quite a lot of people that should be in jail for crimes to humanity....

Thanks Sinudeity@gmail.com. I second your opinions. The race card is pulled too often by some contributors and now they fail to see facts for their prejudice. Infantile football politics "my team is gold and yours is K*@#k" has damaged Africa more than the so called "white man's colonialism".Just visit the Black colony of Zimbabwe to experience the difference!

Africans will continue suffering if they persist on this stupid path of forgiveness. I still do not understand why these guys were not executed. Why is Mark Thatcher still around? Simon Mann is very rich, where did he get his money in the first place? How many Africans did he kill in the past? Shoddy business people continue to fund destabilization of Afrika so as to benefit from blood resources. Some African leaders continue to benefit from payments coming from such individuals. African life remains cheap.
@Sunidiety .The sanctions in Zimbabwe have led to that country’s collapse. Just like any country that is judged to be out of line by the West, they kill it. Mugabe remains rich, ordinary Zimbabweans suffer. It's interesting that US received no punishment for killing innocent civilians in Iraq. It’s time for Africa to protect her children. There’s no country with exclusive rights to arm and defend its citizen…

Sinudeity @gmail.com, you are an accomplished racist. I said this to you in other forums I say it again now. It is clear that Mugabe and Winnie are you diversion from an injustice of colonial and neocolonial conquest that has shaped Africa's history over the past 500 years or so. These guys went to Eq Gunea for money, at the expense of State security and the security of the common person of that country. Why not unmask yourself you pathetic coward instead of using stupid letters to identify yourself? Is it because you know your views are as cold blooded as anything found int he jungle where you seem to belong? I aplaud the President of Eq Guniea for pardoning those fellows, we Africans repeatedly tell the lesson to these racists that a humane world is possible. But send them to the gallows next time should they again try their stupid endeavors!

Ndlovu: Oh, the 'sanctions' lead to Zim's collapse. And not Mugabe. Thanks for setting my straight *sarcasm* - You are right though about Iraq. Dick Cheney and Bush should stand for war crimes against the people of Iraq.

Musekwa: Im not defending the mercenaries. According to international laws, they must be prosecuted. What I dont get, is how you call for his death, but how you will defend Mugabe to the death? Is it because the mercenary is white?

Is it ok for someone to kill thousands of Africans, as long as its a black man?

Phillip - you wish to send the mercenaries to the gallows. Where would you like to send Mugabe and Winnie or for that matter, Nguema ? Probably to heaven - your arguments sucks

Andre Scheepers, I said if they try again, and i am happy they are out, perhaps as ex convitcts they can preach a message of peace. For the mere fact that you see sameness to Winnie and these mercenaries, it shows how racist you are! Why not compare these mercenaries to the Great trekkers, who buthered everyone on their way to Pretoria? Or to PW Botha or the regimes that came after him? Why is it that it must be a black person whom you counterpose with these mercenaries? The answer is self evident, you are bloody racist, and if it is the air that you breathe that causes you to be racist, perhaps we must squeaze it out of your lungs, if you condone "future" mercenary activities which in my previous posting i was trying to discourage, then you are no different from those mercenaries, because you see Africans as dispensable objects in the global economic and financial architecture, that can be disposed the trigger of blood thirsty mercenaries. over 1000 youths were killed within one year from June 1976, yet you see no point of reference in that, you choose Winnie, because apparently one kid allegedly died under her watch. How do you dare compare that with the massacre that was about to unfold in Eq Gunea, unless of course you are the blood thirsty racist that you are!

M&G why are you telling us this story? It's fine if Rapport reports on this. Do you want us to pity this man?

assume that all the commentators applauding the torture and wishing death on these mercenaries is wishing the same torture and death on the other 62 mercenaries involved that served a mere couple of years in Zims jails?

Phillip
In posts further up, the names of Winnie and Robert came up. I did not start the Winnie/Mugabe debate.

What I find interesting if you can not give an honest answer/ comment you hide behind the race card. How can you call me a racist – you do not even know me – I can write a book about my non-racial believes/involments over 60 years. In the 70’s I already built proper brick & cement houses for my employees. At the moment I am supporting a coloured and black family financially. I can give you names very close to Mr Mandela you can contact to establish my bona fides. I can supply you with the names and contact numbers of my black/coloured employees for the past 30 years. But it is people like you who first of all does not know the history of this country, making unfounded racial remarks/statements, that make me sick. If the same nonsense was spewed at me by a white I will react exactly the same.

Now the challenge to your statements - as you seems to know everything:

Please supply me with the evidence/proof and remarks :

1. Your statement: over 1000 youths were killed within one year from June 1976
2. how would you compare the Voortrekkers to the mercenaries
3. number of murders which Winnie was indicated
4. How long has Nguema ruled EG.
5. What happened to his predecessor.
6. How many political parties are there in EG

Oh yes, thank you for the honour bestowed on me being a racist. I accept it with gratitude. If someone continuously tells you, you are “ugly”, one has to accept it. From your postings you’re most definitely not a racist. I would like to honour you with an anti-racist accolade, and trust you will accept it.

Kofi Annan, Secretary-General, United Nations
“When we had need of skilled soldiers to separate fighters from refugees in the Rwandan refugee camps in Goma, I even considered the possibility of engaging a private firm.”
Ditchley Foundation lecture, 26 June 1998



Sir Brian Urquhart, "Founding father", UN Peacekeeping
“It does seem to me that some of these private companies could play an extremely useful role. They have quite a good record....there are all sorts of special tasks which possibly these companies are better-trained to perform than a UN force put together at the last minute.”
Interview on ABC Lateline, 18 May 2000



Susan Rice, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, US State Dept
“In desperation, the [Government] hired the mercenary firm Executive Outcomes. Within a few weeks, EO pushed the RUF back into its base camps and restored security to most of Sierra Leone.”
Letter to International Relations’ Africa Subcommittee, 23 March 1999


The Economist
“Some UN staff say, privately, that private firms could supply effective peacekeepers more cheaply, quickly and willingly than African governments do.”
Article on PMCs, 18 March 2004


Sam Kiley, respected international journalist
“privatise the war against the rebels and help the Sierra Leone Government to pay a well-trained bunch of fighters to wipe out the RUF. It worked in 1995, when 186 South African mercenaries and their one helicopter came close to crushing the rebels.”
The Times, 13 September 2000

As you can see: these things are happening for a looong time now...Even the beloved UN knew..In a nutshell,do not comment on something if you have got the facts...

How interesting Ian Mcintosh! Here we are debating the morality of how criminals who planned to unleash untold bloodletting were themselves treated in jail! This underlines my statement that the whole debate is inspired by racism, because certain white folks cant understand why punitive actions against their own kind should be served. These people said nothing when the Americans used the annexed isalnd of Guatanamo Bay, to unleash untold terror on people whose only sin was that they were suspects for terrorism! But again, citizens of a civilised country were victims on 9 / 11, hence the injustice of Guantanamo Prison were not entertained by the racists that have flooded this website. Perhaps we should start talking about the peace and stability of Eq Gunea, and how that government can ensure such mercenary escapades never gain inroads on African soil ever again!

Not so sure i agree with this 'untold bloodletting' (pls don't read into this any support for mercenaries, am merely debating a point) - but given that there were only +-70 mercenaries how much bloodletting would there really have been. Not the millions an earlier commentator seems to think - what i'd suggest is that a handful of people would have died - the mercenaries i would have thought would have gone in for a quick overthrow of Nguema and his protection, probably a couple of loyal generals etc - once those were out the way then i very much doubt the army would have put up much resistance. The thing with dictatorships and ruling by fear is - loyalty isn't really there.
What you would have had was a dictator being replaced by someone else (probably another dictator who would have to repay his 'help'....) - the end result for the man on the street in Eq Guinea would probably have remained pretty much the same?

Sinudeity @gmail.com you forget you complain about people like Mugabe so we not silent you do it for us, you see it works out one side to remind the other of how bad they are and the other way round.

Judging from some comments above like Mphaphuli, Ndlovu, Musekwa etc.. I made a sickening observation.
In Africa protecting your children involves killing an torturing just to make a statement. It's really no wonder violence prevails in Africa. Peculiar mindset, no value for human life.

As a white european married to a black South African woman having beautiful interracial children together I think I can by right say I am an outsider on the whole race discussion. I must say I get really disgusted by all the race cards that are played here from both sides. Mr. Musekwa apparently takes great pleasure in killing the discussion by calling other people racist, thereby overlooking his own racism. As many South Africans he has the "My People" syndrome, often using terminology as "us africans, we blablabla" and "white folks cant... , these people" and thereby continuously dividing the world in black and white people, whereas a non racial person would not feel that desperate need. Thereby he uses all kinda weird statements like stating white people defended Guantanamo Bay. Honestly, I heard way more criticism on Guantanamo Bay(also on governemental level) from the European continent than from Africa. On the other hand Andre Scheepers tries to prove a big point that he is not racist by saying he built houses for his employees. I would say that if he paid them a decent salary they could have built the house they dreamt off themselves. I hate it when a person tries to prove he is not racist by elaborating on how well he treats his employees. The fact that you make proper treatment of your personnel of another race a worthwhile topic to bring up already shows how much you think along racial lines. Although i am everything except a fan of Winnie Mandela I do agree with Philip that the comparison goes completely wrong there. Anyway, the arrested mercenaries (http://news.ann24.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/mercenaires.jpg) were a good representation of the south african demographics so i do not see how the white vs black discussion can hold here.
So let's drop the race issues and talk about 'a' mercenary from country A wanting place a coup in country B led by 'a' dictator and that that mercenary thinks he has a right to complain about his treatment.
On that i have a very simple opinion: Torture is wrong, dictatorship is wrong, unlegal armed intervention for financial gain is wrong,being a mercenary is wrong, and as a mercenary whining about a bit of torture (whereas these kinda risks come with the job description) is not done.

Majona: Some solidarity would be nice though, against dictators and mass murderers.

Musekwa: These mercs were interdicted before they could destabilise the country. Nobody was killed.

Mugabe on the other hand, has killed 300,000+ people, and destabilised all the countries in the Southern regions of Africa. All the way to De Dooring. And alot of South Africans support bob. In fact, our government supplies him with arms and rifles. Even though its against UN laws that we do.

The same UN laws that you want to try this merc under.

PS, the 'racism' sword is blunt from overuse.

As much as I would like to say that they should have been dragged to the middle of the street and shot, I concede that they were just doing what the original settlers did when they first arrived here and many years subsequent to that. Indeed these morons were just doing what they do best, "TERRORISE".

David Watts

The same illness as most on these forums suffer from. Assumptions assumptions assumptions. You assume I was not paying my employees enough so they could built their own houses. You do not know the circumstances - on what basis do arrive at such a conclusion. I have been accused in no uncertain terms to be a racist. How must I defend myself. You married to a black person making you mister know-all and the alpha and omega of racial issues - please.

@David Watts- go to hell with your Black wife, who cares? Your argument about black wife and interracial kids is in itself racist. It's like saying a white person adopting a black child is automatically immune from racism? Wake up and smell the coffee, if you are white, you are white, and you cannot change that. The reality is that Africans have endless wars because of people like Mark Thatcher. Such criminals are hard to get and when we've finally netted them we still say "Sorry Baas, our mistake!" As long as this stupid forgiveness attitude continues, Africa will continue to be the world's doormat. My view is that Africa should arm itself as there's no guarantee that her children will never be made slaves again and that my friend is the real threat.

@ Freedom Ndlovu
I never stated i am imune from racism, I said i was an outsider to the SA race issues and i showed why. I am indeed white and have no need to hide it or wanting to change it since my skincolour is a non-issue to me and has always been, since i come from a different background. Although you like to lash out to me for no good reason related to the topic, i fully agree with you about your words on Mark Thatcher. If you would read what i wrote, you would also see that i said nothing in contrast to that, but i am just getting sick and tired of how every discussion becomes a discussion over race.

David Watts: at last somebody who can look at an issue without establishing race first, opinion second. These forums are so alive with people trying to outdo each other with name-calling, they fail to see the wood for the trees. I would have thought that you are either against torture, or for it, simple as that, so it is with some horror that it appears that torture is acceptable, as long as the person is of a certain race.....disgusting! These mercenaries should be tried and imprisoned. Torture should not be condoned for anyone!

Freedom Ndlovu & A4A: Members of the 'Black Panther Communist Youth League United Front'.

Ubuntu is just a word that politicians use before elections to win votes.

freedom, sorry to shake you from your delusional slumber - but Africa has endless wars even without people like mark thatcher - the 'doormat' you perceive africa to be is because of people like nguema and mugabe and the other dictators - do you think people enjoy freedom under these people? freedom to suffer disease, poverty and misery is all they get. but hey, you ignore that coffee smell and stay nicely wrapped up in your ignorant view. your are a slave to stupidity, wake up.

@Sunidiety- 'Black Panther Communist Youth League United Front', excellent name, thanks. In that case I feel compelled to return the favour. How about "White Supremacy Racist National Party, a proud affiliate of the Ku Klax Klan" Thought you could just label Blacks again? Well we also can..

Ian mcintosh 1:28 am if you know the history of africa i dont think you can say taht with confidence. The cold war messed up this place big time so we ended up with presidents who served the interests of other people. Like we always say today Mandela is an icon but yesterday he was a terrorist. Look at all the countries that have wars they all have one thing in common - something worth selling and guess who is mining it - multinational companies based in ....... you can finish that one for me. Most of these rebel leaders get money form somewhere and lets not assume they are all rich.

hi Clayton. i'm not making the connection here -are you saying that because africa has resources it has wars?
or saying that its in the west's interests to keep dicators in place as its easier to get these resources cheaper if the country is unsettled and ruled by fear?

Ian mcintosh do the maths on this one pick any spot in africa that has a war going on and you will find that there is a big company (including banks) that is not african making money while everyone is wondering about human rights and all. By the west i assume you mean governements i mean multinational companies. Lets not go very far take this mercenary above what was he going to do in Equatorial Guinea, most definately not on holiday and if they was not sold out it would have looked like another african president killed by his own people. Its always cheaper to get resources in country where there is no accountability.

Freedom: Once I start threatening people of a different colour with violence, or to chase them into the oceans, or threatening war, then you may.

Majona: At the moment, China and the US, exploit the exact same resources out of Africa. You also forget about the Chinese arms vessel, bound for Zimbabwe, that tried to dock off our coast.

Many people have tortured and died in prison fighting for freedom, why should we care with this mercenary Nick du Toit. He should have killed because he committed the crime

At the end of the day M&G got what they wanted. Look at how many times we all logged in to complain, fight and everything and they are selling advertising space. LOL

Majona: True that! :)