A South African radio presenter is arrested on suspicion of recruiting fighters for Russia

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — A South African radio presenter appeared in court on Monday accused of recruiting men to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — A South African radio presenter appeared in court on Monday accused of recruiting men to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine.

Nonkululeko Mantula, 39, was arrested alongside four men after a tip off, South African police said. She is accused of recruiting the four men and organizing for them to join the Russian army.

South African police said three of the men were detained while trying to board a flight to Russia via the United Arab Emirates. Police said they believed another person had already traveled to Russia after being recruited by Mantula.

It is illegal in South Africa to fight for another country’s army without permission from the government. The five suspects arrested in South Africa were ordered to be held in custody until a bail hearing next week.

The arrest of Mantula, a presenter on the state broadcaster’s SAFM radio station, came as police are separately investigating a daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma for allegedly tricking another 17 men into fighting as mercenaries for Russia in Ukraine.