A Grootfontein resident, who is facing a terrorism charge, amongst a host of others, will have to wait until August for his next court hearing.
State advocate Lourens Kamfer informed magistrate Jurina Hochobes on Tuesday that the state will need at least four months to finalise investigations into the matter.
Jona Hangula (32) was arrested on 21 June last year and is facing at least 50 fraud charges, including one charge of arranging for the retention or control of funds belonging to or controlled by persons involved in terrorist or proliferation activities; one count of membership in an organisation involved in terrorist or proliferation activities; two counts of terrorism and funding terrorist activities; two counts of recruitment of persons to become members of a terrorist organisation or to participate in terrorism or proliferation activities, as well as high treason.
It is alleged by the State that he used WhatsApp groups to entice members of the public to become members of ISIS and Al Shebab.
He allegedly received US$6.5 million from various institutions and N$30 million from one institution.
The institutions are not named in the court documents.
Investigations into the source of the funds are currently being conducted by the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA), the Bank of Namibia and the Financial Intelligence Centre.
According to Kamfer, the investigation into the matter is complex and involves international agencies, hence the request for an extended remand.
He said the matter was brought to the attention of the Namibian security agencies by American intelligence, and the prosecutor general must report the outcome to the United Nations Security Council, as the matter involves the core security of Namibia and the integrity of the state.
“This case deals with the Terrorism and Proliferation Act regarding a radical Muslim base in Namibia and southern Angola, set to take over the country as expressed by the accused, as the country is suffering under a weak government and it is a ripe area,” Kamfer said.
According to the State, the matter is currently also under investigation by American and Kenyan security agencies.
“We are aware of the fact that Namibia has been greylisted, and this is one case that, if not handled carefully and with extreme care, will lead to being blacklisted with the eyes of the US services monitoring us to see how we handle this matter,” Kamfer told the magistrate.
He further said the accused had an opportunity to lodge a formal bail application, but due to the seriousness of the charges, which can attract a fine of N$100 million, life imprisonment or both, such a bail application can only be heard in a regional or high court.
However, he said, the defence, represented by Wihan Brand, has already indicated they will lodge a formal bail application.
Brand said he has instructions from his client to apply for the matter to be struck from the roll, and the accused can be re-summoned once the State has its ducks in a row.
According to him, his client was arrested for the sole purpose of investigations, and the matter has been investigated for the last five years.
Hochobes agreed with the State.
He postponed the matter to 27 August and remanded Hangula in custody at the Windhoek police cells.
Hangula is the first and only to have been charged under Namibia’s Preventions and Combatting of Terrorist and Proliferation Activities Act of 2014, which came into force in July 2014.