South African businessman Lucas Legabe, who has been linked to the alleged theft of cocaine worth approximately R216 million ($13.31 million) from a Hawks storage facility in KwaZulu-Natal, has been granted bail by the Port Shepstone Magistrates’ Court.

Lucas Legabe, 49, appeared before the court on Monday, September 14, 2026, where the magistrate granted him bail of R50,000 ($3,080) despite state opposition. The Pretoria businessman was arrested by the South African Police Service in Pretoria on August 7 in connection with the disappearance of the cocaine consignment.

Lucas Legabe faces restrictions after bail

As part of his bail conditions, Lucas Legabe must remain at the residential address provided to the court and obtain permission from the investigating officer before changing his residence.

He has also been ordered to surrender his passports and other travel documents to the police and is prohibited from applying for new travel documents while the case is ongoing. Lucas Legabe must report to Brooklyn Police Station in Pretoria every Monday between 6 am and 6 pm and has been prohibited from directly or indirectly communicating with any state witnesses whose identities become known to him.

The court further ordered him not to interfere with the police investigation and warned that he must attend all court proceedings until the matter is finalised. Failure to appear could result in a warrant for his arrest and the forfeiture of his bail to the state.

State witnesses link businessman to alleged cocaine theft

The case relates to the disappearance of 541 kilograms of cocaine that authorities had seized in June 2021 at a CHC container depot in Isipingo, south of Durban.

The cocaine, packed into 27 bags, was subsequently transferred to a storage facility operated by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, commonly known as the Hawks, in Port Shepstone.

The facility reportedly did not have an alarm system or surveillance cameras. Testimony before the Madlanga Commission indicated that the drugs were stored there because of a lack of space at other police stations.

The cocaine was allegedly stolen from the facility in November 2021, with investigators examining allegations that Hawks officers may have been involved in the disappearance.

During Lucas Legabe’s bail proceedings, state prosecutor Zwelethu Mata told the court that two men allegedly connected to the theft had turned state witnesses under Section 204 of South Africa’s Criminal Procedure Act.

The witnesses have allegedly implicated Lucas Legabe in the case. Police have not ruled out additional arrests as investigations into the disappearance of the cocaine continue. Legabe has been granted bail, but the allegations against him have not been proven in court.