Wynberg Magistrates Court.
Lesale Solomons / News 24
- The five men accused of robbing missing German tourist Nick Frischke will remain behind bars until a regional court date is set.
- The defendants have actually emerged from Pollsmoor Prison where they are being held.
- Freshky has been missing since February.
The five men accused of robbing missing German tourist Nick Frischke in February appeared briefly at Weinberg Magistrates Court via video link from Pollsmoor Prison on Tuesday.
Frischke was stolen from Brandenberg near Cottbus in Germany on February 15, after leaving his Airbnb in the Pinelands.
Egshan Fisher, Jason Abrahams, Vanroy Petersen, Carlo Guenanten, and Melvin Guenanten appeared to be smiling and waving kisses at the camera as Judge Gulam Bawa began court proceedings.
Read | The Missing German Tourist: Family Cords of Help for Civil Rights Action Society
The men were charged with aggravated robbery and possession of a firearm.
News24 previously reported that the accused admitted to robbing Frischke while he was exploring Karbonkelberg during a solo trip in February. They claim he ran away after they took his valuables.
The volunteer firefighter has not been found since he went missing.
Bawa postponed the case until 28 July for a provincial court date, much to the disappointment of the accused’s family members, who crowded the public gallery.
Eggan Fisher, Jason Abraham, Vanroy Petersen, Carlo Guenanten and Melvyn Guenanten appeared virtually from Pollsmoor Prison on Tuesday.
Lesale Solomons / News 24
One of the defendants, Fisher, raised his hand to speak to Bawa, asking the court to change his age on the indictment now that he is 21.
“You don’t have to worry about it,” Bawa said with a smile.
He then proceeded to wish Fisher a belated Merry Christmas.
“You have to stay behind bars until your next appearance,” Bawa added.
The mother of one of the defendants, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the family was “very disappointed” by the protraction of the case.
“It’s very frustrating. They should let them go so the police can find the tourist. I don’t understand why they are still holding them in jail when they obviously don’t know where [Frischke] He is.”
She added that it was a task for her to travel from Hout Bay to Wynberg as an unemployed mother.
“Yesterday was my son’s 21st birthday, and I didn’t even wish him or give him a hug because he’s in prison.
“I don’t have the money to visit, and security is very strict to allow visitors, so I don’t want to waste my time traveling if I can’t even see my son.”
She said she was “sad” her son had been involved in the case.
“I didn’t talk to him about what happened that day. I really hope this case gets resolved.”
Frischke was last seen at the V&A Waterfront store wearing blue denim shorts, a beige T-shirt, and a white taki.
He was carrying a backpack.
In April, his family offered a reward of R20,000 for any information on his whereabouts.
Western Cape police spokesman Malcolm Bogey said an investigation was under way.
Case status is still the same. There [are] “There are no new developments that we can share at this stage,” he added.