A South African law enforcement agency recently argued against granting bail to a man accused of donating $614 in bitcoin (BTC) to an organization allegedly funding terrorists. John Sithole, an investigating officer with the elite crime-fighting unit the Hawks, argued that Ziyadh Hoorzook, currently in custody, might evade trial if released on bail.

Although Hoorzook denies knowing about al-Sadaqah’s alleged ties to terrorism, Sithole was quoted in local media claiming to have uncovered evidence on Hoorzook’s devices suggesting otherwise. As reported by Bitcoin.com News earlier this year, Hoorzook was arrested for allegedly violating sections of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy and Related Activities Act. The crime is believed to have been committed in 2017.

Following the arrest, South African law enforcement claimed a preliminary investigation indicated the funds were transferred to support “participants” in another country with weapons, financial aid, and other projects.

However, Hoorzook, through his lawyer Mohammed Razak, said he plans to plead not guilty at the next hearing because the state has “misaligned” him with a “narrative that is factually untrue.” According to an SABC report, Hoorzook’s bail hearing is scheduled for January 15.

Meanwhile, a statement on Hoorzook’s arrest issued by Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya explained the law enforcement agency’s keen interest in this case. He said:

“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.”

Since the country was placed on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)’s gray list in 2023, South African authorities have moved to address deficiencies identified by the intergovernmental body. Some of the steps taken include requiring digital asset exchange platforms to collect details of parties involved in crypto transactions.

However, South Africa still has some outstanding action items that need to be fully addressed to the satisfaction of the FATF before it removed from the grey list. According to a Defenceweb report, a recommendation to delist South Africa will likely be made in June if the FATF Africa Joint Group is happy with the country’s progress.

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