Windhoek — The case of three Congolese nationals, charged with dealing in and possession of 1.6kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of N$610 000 had to be postponed again after the state indicated that it was not ready to proceed.

State prosecutor, Erich Naikaku, requested Magistrate Stanley Tembwe to remand the case until February 08 for the accused to plead to the charges against them. Arson Mayawoula, Castro Ngangu and Elvis Lubaki were arrested at a roadblock near Windhoek on January 17, 2010.

The case was postponed before after the defence team submitted an application to have magistrate Justine Asino recuse herself from the trial. The defence counsel, Orben Sibeya succeeded with the application and the case was transferred to Magistrate Tembwe.

The suspected drug dealers have been remanded in custody since their arrest. Several bail applications, including an appeal to overturn the refusal of bail, have not been successful.

Previously Mayawoula was represented by Bronell Uirab, Ngangu by Bradley Basson who also stood in for Boris Isaacks to represent Lubaki.

Ngangu was arrested before on charges of drug dealing in September 2011, but was eventually acquitted. He was charged for possessing 530g of cocaine worth N$265 000 that was found in a toilet at his house in July of that year. At that time Ngangu claimed that the drugs belonged to an unknown visitor to the home he was renting in Windhoek West.