According to the authorities, a district court heard five suspects on Tuesday in connection with the search for a missing German tourist in the South African metropolis of Cape Town. The men were in possession of items belonging to the German and were charged with the robbery with aggravating circumstances, said Eric Ntabazalia of the National Law Enforcement Agency. The
Proceedings are set to resume on March 6 to allow time for further investigations, Ntabazalia said. Police spokesman André Traut told the German Press Agency that the police are currently unable to confirm any link between the suspects and the disappearance of the German who has been missing for two weeks. Officials continued to look for a trace of the 22-year-old, according to Traut.
According to the police, the young man entered the country at the southern tip of Africa on February 6 and lived in an Airbnb accommodation in the Cape Town suburb of Pinelands. The German has been missing since February 15. A security camera photo circulated on social media on February 15 showing the man in sportswear walking towards a hiking trail at the base of Carboniferous Mountain in Hout Bay, another suburb. The police confirmed that the man was dropped off there by a driving service.
A wanted ad on a Facebook page for Germans in Cape Town said the man had signed up for a surfing course on February 16 but didn’t show up. His clothes and valuables were said to be in his room in the guest house. The German embassy in South Africa confirmed that it had been informed of the case and was in contact with the South African authorities and the missing person’s relatives.
