The Citizen
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
THE former victim of a Somali pirate kidnapping, Debbie Calitz, and eight others appeared in the Hatfield District Court in Pretoria yesterday on drug-related charges, after the group were arrested in a flat in Constantia Park at the weekend.
It is alleged that Calitz was growing dagga and hallucinogenics, also known as “magic mushrooms”, in her apartment in Pretoria.
Calitz, Jarryd Lottering, Kerri-Anne Cross, Matthew Beukes, Timothy Lombard, Jason Cross, Nicolas Fourie, Zane Coles and Donavan Coles each face a charge of possession of drugs, but were granted R1 000 bail.
The matter was postponed to January 30, as it was still under police investigation, according to Magistrate Kenneth Chauke.
Calitz and her former long-term partner Bruno Pelizzari were released from captivity in Somalia almost six months ago, after being held for nearly two years.
Calitz recently released a book on her kidnapping, entitled Debbie Calitz: 20 Months in Hostage Hell.