The Hawks, a top-tier South African law enforcement agency, have opposed bail for Ziyadh Hoorzook, a man accused of donating $614 in bitcoin (BTC) to an alleged terrorism-supporting organization. Investigating officer John Sithole expressed concerns that Hoorzook, currently in custody, might elude trial if granted bail.
Despite Hoorzook’s denial of any knowledge about al-Sadaqah’s supposed connections to terrorism, Sithole has claimed that evidence found on Hoorzook’s digital devices suggests the contrary. He was arrested earlier this year for purportedly violating stipulations of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy and Related Activities Act, with the alleged crime believed to have been committed in 2017, according to a report by Bitcoin.com News.
In the wake of the arrest, South African law enforcement stated that their initial investigation suggested the transferred funds were used to equip “participants” in a foreign country with weaponry, financial assistance, and support for various other initiatives.
However, Hoorzook, represented by his lawyer Mohammed Razak, intends to enter a plea of not guilty in the forthcoming hearing. He asserts that the state has inaccurately associated him with a “narrative that is factually untrue.” An SABC report has scheduled Hoorzook’s bail hearing for January 15.
In a statement about Hoorzook’s arrest, Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya outlined the agency’s particular interest in this case. He conveyed, “Our dedicated team, in collaboration with local and international partners, are working as a collective to halt the illicit flow of funds that fuel organized crime and terrorism.”
South Africa, since being placed on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)’s gray list in 2023, has been addressing the deficiencies pointed out by the intergovernmental body. Steps taken include the mandate for digital asset exchange platforms to gather details of parties involved in cryptocurrency transactions.
Nevertheless, South Africa still needs to address several critical action items to the FATF’s satisfaction before the country can be removed from the grey list. A Defenceweb report suggests that a recommendation to delist South Africa will likely be put forth in June if the FATF Africa Joint Group is satisfied with South Africa’s progress in addressing these issues.
