Farm worker allegedly admits to growing marijuana
• Six accused released on bail
A total of 106 Namibians were arrested in June in connection with drugs.
Six of seven accused persons who were arrested in connection with the illegal possession of marijuana on a farm owned by a well-known Windhoek businessman near Rehoboth were released on bail earlier this week.
The seven accused were arrested on 28 June on a farm south of Rehoboth, near the Klein Tsumis Agricultural College.
The police seized a total of 161 marijuana plants valued at N$300 000 grown on the farm of businessman and goat farmer, 29-year-old Xico Coetzee.
Coetzee from Namboer Auctioneers in Windhoek was arrested on his farm along with 34-year-old Martin Lotter, Bebeto Mouton (26), Simon Nghinaunye (38), Manfred Kalf (39), Andries Nowaseb (42) and a 17-year-old male.
According to the Namibian Police’s coordinator for crime investigations in the Hardap Region, Deputy Commissioner Eric Clay, the case is intelligence-driven.
One stays behind bars
The accused made their first court appearance at the Rehoboth Magistrate’s Court on 1 July, during which they were denied bail.
According to Rehoboth legal representative Winnie Christians, all the accused were granted bail this week, except for Mouton.
“He admitted that he planted the marijuana for his own use on the farm,” Christians told Network Media Hub.
Windhoek lawyer Petrie Theron confirmed that his clients, Coetzee and Lotter, were released on bail of N$15 000 and N$10 000, respectively.
Christians’ clients Nghinaunye, Kalf and Nowaseb were released on bail of N$2 000 each.
“The minor was released into the care of his guardian,” Christians said.
Theron confirmed that all the co-accused are employees of Coetzee, “except for one who happened to be on the farm to buy meat. These are not marijuana trees, but marijuana plants no bigger than shrubs.”
Magistrate Sobozi Maloboka postponed the case to 17 September for further investigation. Antonio Kambako appeared for the State.
Meanwhile, the Namibian police released their drug report for June. A total of 112 suspects were arrested, of whom 106 are Namibians, 2 each are Tanzanian and Zimbabwean citizens, and one each from Angola and Zambia. The police confiscated, among other things, 2 285 Mandrax tablets and five units of cocaine.
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The seven accused were arrested on 28 June on a farm south of Rehoboth, near the Klein Tsumis Agricultural College.
The police seized a total of 161 marijuana plants valued at N$300 000 grown on the farm of businessman and goat farmer, 29-year-old Xico Coetzee.
Coetzee from Namboer Auctioneers in Windhoek was arrested on his farm along with 34-year-old Martin Lotter, Bebeto Mouton (26), Simon Nghinaunye (38), Manfred Kalf (39), Andries Nowaseb (42) and a 17-year-old male.
According to the Namibian Police’s coordinator for crime investigations in the Hardap Region, Deputy Commissioner Eric Clay, the case is intelligence-driven.
One stays behind bars
The accused made their first court appearance at the Rehoboth Magistrate’s Court on 1 July, during which they were denied bail.
According to Rehoboth legal representative Winnie Christians, all the accused were granted bail this week, except for Mouton.
“He admitted that he planted the marijuana for his own use on the farm,” Christians told Network Media Hub.
Windhoek lawyer Petrie Theron confirmed that his clients, Coetzee and Lotter, were released on bail of N$15 000 and N$10 000, respectively.
Christians’ clients Nghinaunye, Kalf and Nowaseb were released on bail of N$2 000 each.
“The minor was released into the care of his guardian,” Christians said.
Theron confirmed that all the co-accused are employees of Coetzee, “except for one who happened to be on the farm to buy meat. These are not marijuana trees, but marijuana plants no bigger than shrubs.”
Magistrate Sobozi Maloboka postponed the case to 17 September for further investigation. Antonio Kambako appeared for the State.
Meanwhile, the Namibian police released their drug report for June. A total of 112 suspects were arrested, of whom 106 are Namibians, 2 each are Tanzanian and Zimbabwean citizens, and one each from Angola and Zambia. The police confiscated, among other things, 2 285 Mandrax tablets and five units of cocaine.
– [email protected]
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