The three Congolese nationals caught with 1.6kg of cocaine at a roadblock near Windhoek have acquired the services of renowned local lawyer, Orben Sibeya, to represent them when their trial resumes on January 30.

When their trial resumes it will be for plea and also to agree on a trial date. During an appearance before Magistrate Justine Asino on Monday Arson Mayawoula, Castro Ngangu and Elvis Lubaki were informed that their case was now finally transfered to D Court after Sibeya made an application during a previous court appearance that Magistrate Asino recuse herself from the case.

The suspected drug dealers will now get a chance to plead on the charges of dealing and/or possession of a dangerous dependence producing drug.

All three accused are in custody after several bail attempts, including an appeal on the refusal to grant them bail which also ended in failure late last year.

The trio were caught with the cocaine with an estimated street value of N$610 000 after Mayawoula's vehicle broke down, prompting Ngangu and Lubaki to come to his aid. Mayawoula was on his way from Zambia, when he experienced car trouble.

According to reports the police became suspicious when Mayawoula left his baggage in the broken down car and only removed the spare tyre. It is alleged that the police found the cocaine in the spare tyre after a search was conducted.

Previously Mayawoula was represented by Bronell Uirab, and Ngangu by Bradley Basson who also stood in for Boris Isaacks for Lubaki. Ngangu had a previous run-in with the law, when he was acquitted on a charge of dealing in drugs in September 2011, after 530 grams of cocaine worth N$265 000 was found in a toilet at his house in July of that year.