WINDHOEK – The unavailability of their lawyer delayed the trial of three Congolese nationals facing a charge of dealing in or possession of cocaine in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court once more.
Defence counsel Orben Sibeya could not make it since he was said to be attending to something else, Magistrate Hileni Kavara was informed yesterday by prosecutor Erich Naikaku. He further informed the court that the prosecution and the defence have agreed to postpone the matter to 20 September for the continuation of the case.
Arson Mayawoula, Castro Ngangu and Elvis Lubaki face charges of dealing in or possession of dangerous dependence producing drugs after they were caught with 1,6kg of cocaine at a roadblock near Windhoek on 17 January, 2010.
The State has already rejected the intended pleas of the three Congolese nationals when accused number one indicated that he wished to plead guilty and to let his co-accused off the hook.
The trio were caught with the cocaine after Mayawoula’s car broke down while enroute to Windhoek from Zambia and Ngangu and Lubaki came to his aid. According to reports the police became suspicious when Mayawoula left his baggage in the broken down vehicle and only removed a spare tyre. It is alleged the police found the cocaine in the spare tyre after a search was conducted.
The suspected drug dealers have been remanded in custody since their arrest after several bail attempts, including an appeal on refusal of bail failed. Ngangu had a previous drug related case but was acquitted, despite the fact that 530g of cocaine worth N$265 000 was found in a toilet at his home.
At the time Ngangu had claimed that the drugs belonged to someone who was visiting him at the house he was renting in Windhoek West. The magistrate is on record for having said she would like to see that the case is given preference since it has been on the roll since 2010. The accused remain in custody.