Lions duo to appear in court

Lions stars Earl Rose and Rayno Benjamin are set to appear in court on Tuesday over charges of alleged drug dealing.

Lions stars Earl Rose and Rayno Benjamin are set to appear in court on Tuesday over charges of alleged drug dealing.

The two players will appear in the Randburg magistrates court alongside two other co-accused in charges relating to their arrest on January 31 of this year.

President of the Golden Lions Rugby Union (GLRU) Jannie Ferreira confirmed the players will appear in the dock in order to try and clear their names.

It has not been disclosed what drugs or the amount that was found on the pair.

But it is notable that individuals need to have a relatively large quantity of illegal substances in their possession for charges to escalate from possession of drugs to drug dealing.

Ferreira said they will wait to hear the court's findings, but he believes the pair are innocent.

GLRU chief executive Manie Reyneke thought about taking their own disciplinary action against Rose and Benjamin before it went to court proceedings, but insisted that the drugs were “planted” on both Rose and Benjamin.

“We are aware of the charges against them. But according to our own lawyers' investigation into the case, the drugs were planted on the players,” Reyneke told the Beeld newspaper on Monday.

“We are convinced the case against them won't continue.”