Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

N$5 million heroin trial postponed

Home Crime and Courts N$5 million heroin trial postponed

WINDHOEK – The trial of a former Air Namibia cabin crew member, accused of trying to smuggle N$5 million worth of heroin, has been postponed to next week for the defence’s case.

Percival Mensah, 37, stands accused of dealing in or possessing 10.27 kilograms of heroin valued at about N$5 million, and a charge of acquiring, possessing or using the proceeds of unlawful activities in the form of 10.27kg of heroin.

The prosecution is alleging that on 17 December 2016, the police discovered drugs during a routine inspection before departure at Hosea Kutako International Airport. The police detected a suspicious substance that was later confirmed to be heroin hidden in the cabin attendant’s check-in luggage for an Air Namibia flight destined for Frankfurt. 

According to Detective Sergeant Lukas Lukas from the Namibian police drug unit, on 16 December 2016, the police, together with Mensah, went through the contents of his bag. “Upon inspection, we found male clothes, and underneath the pile of clothes was an extra bag,” explained Lukas.
Lukas informed the court that inside the extra bag, they found ten parcels with substances suspected to be heroin.

Mensah allegedly vanished from the airport after police officers started to make enquiries about the ownership of the luggage in which the suspected drugs had been detected, and did not depart on the flight to Germany as scheduled.

During the trial, Mensah, through his defence lawyer Wessels, denied any wrongdoing. Wessels said they are not disputing that Mensah was at Hosea Kutako International Airport on the day, because he was part of the cabin crew employed by Air Namibia, but they deny he had any dealing in heroin.

Mensah allegedly received the alleged drugs found in the suitcase with which he was to travel from Namibia to Frankfurt from an old friend by the name Chandre Hill. 
Further stating that he had no idea that the bag had drugs in it.

Hill, 26, was initially charged alongside Mensah, but the prosecution withdrew the charges against him in September last year due to lack of evidence.
Mensah is currently out on bail.