Windhoek — CAN witchcraft be classified as organised crime? This question by Luederitz Urban constituency councillor, Fluksman Samuehls, provoked considerable laughter in the National Council yesterday.

"Yes, if it can be proved," replied Mines Deputy Minister, Henock ya Kasita, who was making his contribution to the debate on the Prevention of Organised Crime Bill, currently under review in the House.

Ya Kasita said if it could be proved that somebody had bewitched someone, witchcraft could be regarded as an organised crime since it has been claimed some people organised crimes through witchcraft.

This caused yet another outburst of laughter.

Ya Kasita, who is the Regional Councillor for the Okaku constituency in the Oshana Region, said as some people organised a crime by using phones and cellphones, highly advanced mechanisms to identify them needed to be put in place, otherwise the bill would not mean anything.

He proposed that people convicted of organised crime should be banned from having telephones or cellphones.

Their photos should be published so that the public knows who they are, he said.

In terms of the bill, anyone who aids and abets any criminal activity, or performs any act contributing towards criminal gang activity, is liable to a fine of N$500 000, or imprisonment of up to six years.

Those who incite or advise another person to join a criminal gang, or encourage any other person to participate in criminal gang activity, would be fined N$250 000 or jailed for a period not exceeding three years.