A South African Court in the Northern Cape has denied bail to eight Nigerian nationals facing charges.
The decision was made following a recent altercation between the suspects and the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The arrests stemmed from a confrontation during which police officers were allegedly attacked, and SAPS vehicles were damaged.
The police said the incident began after police pursued information related to suspected drug possession by the Nigerians.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Northern Cape named the suspects as Onogu Nwaemeka, Kelecho Oken, Ebot Kennedy, Chijioke Steven, Charles Aknaji, Umemba Sophuru, Amajoyi Tochukwu, and Charles Okerie Onyedikashi.
The trial has now been postponed to July.
Mojalefa Senokoatsane, the NPA regional spokesperson, described the events leading to the arrests, saying chaos erupted when the suspects allegedly demanded the release of a fellow Nigerian national being apprehended by police.
The ensuing violence resulted in injuries to law enforcement officers and damage to police property.
Senokoatsane noted that during the next court appearance, the accused will be using an audio-visual remand system (AVR).
Colonel Cherelle Ehlers, SAPS Northern Cape provincial spokesperson, provided further details, explaining that police used rubber bullets to disperse the crowd during the confrontation.
