Disbarred lawyer Peet Viljoen landed at the OR Tambo International Airport last night – only to be arrested on SA soil.

Netwerk24 reports that Viljoen has been deported by authorities in the US weeks after his wife and fellow-accused in a retail theft matter, Mel Viljoen, was also granted a voluntary departure.

Viljoen was taken into custody by border police on the strength of a warrant of arrest on his fraud, theft and corruption trial dating back to 2010, which also caused him to be struck off the roll of legal practitioners.

An upset Viljoen told Netwerk24 the warrant is irregular.

‘If they want to charge me (again), they have to do so under a different case number’.

In 2024, the Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) set aside his trial as irregular on technical grounds. However, the state has since decided to charge him again.

Viljoen is set to appear in the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court today after having spent the night in the Sunnyside police station.

Mel Viljoen remained crying at the airport hours after he had been taken away.

Full Netwerk24 report (subscription needed)