Cape Town - A Mamre man who placed bomb scare calls to SAPS and the City has been sent to prison after making his first appearance in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Ferdinand Fortuin, 49, was arrested by the Hawks and slapped with terrorism charges amid the bomb threats in the area last week.
The incident saw a municipal building evacuated, while commuters in Bellville reported there had been a bomb scare at the taxi rank.
At the time of his arrest, Hawks spokesperson, Siyabulela Vukubi, said a multi-disciplinary team comprising of the Hawks’ Crimes Against the State, Western Cape Crime Intelligence, the Special Task Force and SAPS Bomb Disposal Unit investigated the threat and subsequently arrested Fortuin for contravention of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorism and Related Activities Act.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said Fortuin was charged for engaging in terrorist activity.
“Ferdinand Fortuin appeared in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court charged with engaging in terrorist activity or commit an offence in relation to explosive devices in contravention of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorism and Related Activities Act 33 of 2004 for falsely making police in Bellville and personnel at Goodwood Traffic Management Centre believe that he would engage in terrorism act. His case has been postponed until 25 November for bail information. He remains in custody.”