My dear friends in Pretoria Central Prison,
Today, Feb 5, all of you have been in Pretoria Central Prison for 1 year. Except Etienne Kabila, who voluntarily gave himself up on Feb 8, 2013.
In early March, I heard about you for the first time and learned that a member of my community in America learned was amongst you, James Kazongo. Since that day, I have written about you, talked about you, and asked South Africans and Congolese, and anyone who would listen, to help you. To release you.
I know that I was born a woman. As sure as I am of this fact, I know that you are all innocent of the charges made against you. All of you. You were caught in a web made by rogue police for Etienne Kabila. Who was born a man to the wife of Laurent Kabila, who put aside his wife and later, became the president of Congo. And I know that money has been flowing to rogue police, to rogue lawyers, to Congolese: to anyone who can be bought to falsely accuse you.
I know that James Kazongo had left his home and family in Delaware less than 2 weeks before he was kidnapped by rogue police, driven to Limpopo, and arrested in a hail of bullets with 18 others of you. The press reports of accusations were so absurd that I traveled from my home in New Jersey to Pretoria Central Prison in May 2013 to find out what was going on and stand up for James Kazongo on behalf of his wife Jeanine and his children Michael, Matthew and Maxim.
I rapidly discovered that all 20 of you are innocent of all charges. All of you are hard-working, church-going family men. Not one of you has a criminal record. Not one of you had any military training. Not one of you had a drinking problem or have any history of mistreating women. Solid, salt-of-the-earth, dependable hard workers. Good citizens of the world. Good residents of South Africa.
One year later, everything has changed and nothing has changed. You are still in Pretoria Central Prison, you are still falsely accused, you are still awaiting trial. Nelson Mandela went to glory close to where you are being held, and the mourning for Nelson Mandela is continuing in South Africa, and in America.
When I met you and some of your wives and children I saw how good you are, how decent and honest you are. How strong you are.
I pray that you all stay strong, and no matter how much money flows from the DRC into the hands of rogue police, rogue lawyers, rogue Congolese.
I pray that you keep believing that the South Africa that produced Nelson Mandela still produces good, honest lawyers and courts, and that you will be released to your wives and families so you can continue building a strong and safe South Africa.
May God bless South Africa,
Susanna J Dodgson
Publisher, MJoTA sites