Judge on missing ‘Isis’ suspect: ‘Is he in jail, is he in hospital, is he dead?’

Abdella Hussein Abadiga was ‘snatched’ from Midrand shopping centre in December. The high court wants state to reveal his whereabouts

02 March 2023 - 14:09
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This image taken from CCTV at the Mall of Africa in Johannesburg on December 29 shows the last time Abdella Abadiga was seen. It forms part of evidence in an urgent application brought by his brother Abdurahim before the South Gauteng High Court.
This image taken from CCTV at the Mall of Africa in Johannesburg on December 29 shows the last time Abdella Abadiga was seen. It forms part of evidence in an urgent application brought by his brother Abdurahim before the South Gauteng High Court.
Image: Abdurahim Abadiga

The Johannesburg high court has ordered the state to disclose the whereabouts of Abdella Abadiga, an Ethiopian man who was kidnapped from the Mall of Africa nearly three months ago. 

Judge Lotter Wepener ordered state attorney Anusha Nadasen to consult with her clients — the defence minister, police minister, Dirco minister and the investigating officer in the matter to disclose to the court on Friday the whereabouts of Abadiga.

The US government alleges Abdella Abadiga is a Johannesburg-based financier of terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
The US government alleges Abdella Abadiga is a Johannesburg-based financier of terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
Image: Sourced

This came after Nadasen requested the matter be postponed for her to acquaint herself with the documents related to the urgent application that was brought to the high court by Abadiga’s brother, Abdurahim Abadiga. 

“When we resume tomorrow [Friday], I need you to explain to court where the applicant is. Is he in jail, is he in hospital, is he dead? Please let the family know where he is. I need you to come on record and assure us where the applicant is,” said Wepener. 

He said it was important for the court to know Abadiga’s whereabouts and the reasons why he has been apprehended.

Abadiga, an alleged Islamic State recruiter and funder was allegedly snatched from the Mall of Africa in December by SA National Defence Force (SANDF) special forces personnel, according to an affidavit by his brother.

Abadiga, an Ethiopian, was placed under US Treasury sanctions in March last year with Tanzanian Peter Charles Mbaga and South Africans Farhad Hoomer and Siraaj Miller. According to the US government, the men helped terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria to gather support and financing for its Africa campaigns. 

The notice of motion for an urgent court application filed by his brother alleges Abadiga and his bodyguard Kadir Jemal Abotese were abducted from the parking lot at the Midrand shopping centre on December 29.

Abdurahim, who had been out of the country, reported his brother missing to the Midrand police in January. 

Police are investigating a case of kidnapping after CCTV footage was collected from Mall of Africa cameras allegedly showing several men driving vehicles with number plates registered to SANDF-linked company Peters Communications Trust, leaving the parking lot at about the time of Abadiga's disappearance.

The CCTV footage, stills of which are contained in the application and which TimesLIVE Investigations has seen, apparently show Abadiga’s car, a Toyota Lexus, being escorted out the parking lot by one of the vehicles belonging to Peters Communications at 4.55pm on December 29. 

According to the affidavit, a Midrand police investigator confirmed the vehicle registrations of the suspected vehicles belonged to Peters Communications Trust after he reviewed the CCTV footage. 

TimesLIVE Investigations have independently confirmed that the directors of Peters Communications Trust have listed the SANDF as their employer. 

The urgent application claims Abadiga was last seen on CCTV footage at 12.11pm, while he was paying for his parking ticket.

The matter continues on Friday.

TimesLIVE

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