Calitz granted bail after drug bust

11 December 2012 - 02:01 By SIPHO MASOMBUKA
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BEEN THROUGH WORSE: Debbie Calitz appeared in the Hatfield Community Court, Pretoria, on drug possession charges yesterday, along with her son, her daughter and six others
BEEN THROUGH WORSE: Debbie Calitz appeared in the Hatfield Community Court, Pretoria, on drug possession charges yesterday, along with her son, her daughter and six others
Image: SYDNEY SESHIBEDI

DEBBIE Calitz, who had been held hostage by Somali pirates for 20 months, yesterday appeared in the Hatfield Community Court, Pretoria, alongside her daughter, Kerri-Ann Cross, 21, her son Jason Cross, 23, and six others on drug possession charges.

They were released on R1000 bail each.

"No comment," the 50-year-old Calitz said when reporters waiting outside court swarmed her.

Calitz hurried out of court accompanied by family lawyer Lathan Dixon.

Police raided Calitz's Constantia Park home, in Pretoria East, on Friday night after Garsfontein and Brooklyn police were told that dagga and "magic mushrooms" were on the property.

Police found narcotics with a street value of thousands of rands.

Calitz and her former partner, Bruno Pelizzari, captured international headlines when they were kidnapped while sailing from Kenya to South Africa. They were held by pirates for 20 months in various locations.

They returned to South Africa on June 27, days after being freed in an Italian and Somali military operation.

Mathew Beukes, 25, Timothy Lombard, 29, Nicolas Fourie, 20, Donovan Coles, 20, Zane Coles, 19 and Jerry Lottering, 21 appeared alongside Calitz.

Magistrate Kenneth Chauke postponed the case to January 30 for further investigation.

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