By Dylan Bettencourt
- South African coach Rulani Mokwena was held at Algiers airport after customs officials found about 16,000 euros in undeclared cash.
- Finance lawyer Tebogo Malatji says Mokwena could lose his cash or be fined if he cannot prove it came legally.
Customs officials detained South African football coach Rulani Mokwena at Houari Boumediene Airport in Algiers after finding undeclared foreign currency worth about R307,000 on him at the weekend.
Algerian reports put the amount at about 16,000 euros. Mokwena reportedly did not know about the law requiring travellers to declare cash at borders.
Finance lawyer Tebogo Malatji told Sowetan that countries have strict rules about money crossing their borders.
“Every country requires you to declare the purpose of possessing funds because they control the movement of currency between countries. Currency is considered as part of capital assets,” he said.
Malatji said travellers landing in another country must declare the cash they are carrying so authorities know what is being brought in and where it came from.
“If you have landed and you haven’t declared currency, then the authorities will detain you so that they can interrogate the source of the funds, same as when you leave,” he said.
If authorities are not satisfied with the answers, they can take the money for the state.
Malatji said Mokwena could face a fine if he cannot prove the money came from a legal source. He said officials could hold the coach until they finish their investigation and decide whether he leaves with the money or without it.
The South African embassy in Algeria confirmed it knows about the arrest and is in contact with Mokwena while giving him assistance.
Mokwena left Algerian champions MC Alger after eight months, during which he won the Algerian Super Cup. He is set to join Libyan club Al Ittihad SC, where his former player Thembinkosi Lorch plays. He also previously coached Wydad Casablanca.
Pictured above: Rulani Mokwena.
Image source: Mamelodi Sundowns
