WINDHOEK – A suspected drug dealer arrested during a sting operation wants the case against him withdrawn provisionally in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court for lack of laboratory results.
Charlton Blaauw, alias Shoetas, was allegedly caught with 10 units of crack cocaine and 2,5g of cocaine during an undercover operation involving the chief of the Drug Law Enforcement Unit, Deputy Commissioner Hermie van Zyl. The drugs have an estimated street value of N$2 250.
Through his defence lawyer Alexandra Amoo from Isaacks and Benz Inc, Shoetas is now demanding that the court withdraws the case against him, since laboratory results are not available for the third time.
Amoo told Magistrate Hileni Kavara that the State would not be prejudiced in any way by re-summoning Blaauw when the laboratory results become available. This is the third time that Blaauw finds himself at loggerheads with the drug squad after two previous cases were withdrawn for the very same reason of the unavailability of laboratory results.
In her ruling, Magistrate Asino said that it is in the interest of society to ensure that a guilty person does not evade conviction by reason of an oversight or a mistake that can be rectified.
She said that the court has taken cognisance of the fact that the matter has been postponed twice already on account of unavailable laboratory results and that the results are still not available. But she said the accused stands accused on a count of dealing in cocaine, which is a serious offence and therefore it would not be in the interest of society, as well as the administration of justice if the matter is to be withdrawn provisionally at this stage. She ordered the matter be remanded to 29 November, 2013 when hopefully the laboratory results would be available. Blaauw is out on bail of N$15 000.
By Roland Routh