Nick du Toit

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du Toit at his trial

Nick du Toit is an Afrikaner arms dealer and former officer of 32 Battalion [and the 5th Reconnaissance Commando]. He was implicated in the plot to overthrow Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea. He went on trial in Malabo along with 18 other men accused of being the advance party for 70 other suspected mercenaries. The prosecution asked for the death penalty but when all were found guilty jail sentences were handed out with du Toit receiving 34 years (to be served in Malabo's notorious Black Beach prison). The absence of any death sentences in the judge's verdict is seen by some as laying the foundations for the extradition of others connected to the coup plot such as Mark Thatcher and Simon Mann from countries that are opposed to the death penalty.

His job in the coup d'état was to supply the mercenaries with arms including AK47s, RPGs, PK machine guns, and mortars, and to secure the control tower at the Malabo airport and change the frequency to establish communication with the incoming plane from Zimbabwe carrying more mercenaries.

After his capture, he appeared on South African television announcing the failure of the coup and the names of co-conspirators. His business connections with Armengol Ondo Nguema, the brother of Teodoro Obiang have caused Obiang's son to suspect an internal coup. Nick du Toit's wife has claimed that the appearance was coerced by torture; namely stamping on du Toit's feet until his toenails came off, electric shocks and beatings.