Drug-dealing suspect wants to return to Telecom job

THE Windhoek resident who faces charges of dealing in drugs to the value of more than N$41 000 after he was arrested at one of the city’s top hotels late last week is a chief technician at Telecom Namibia, where he earns about N$13 000 a month, the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court was told this week.

Israel Nangolo (33), also known as ‘Kabufa” who faces three charges of dealing in illegal drugs after his arrest at Windhoek Country Club Resort and Casino on Thursday evening last week, launched a formal application to be released on bail before Magistrate Helvi Shilemba on Tuesday. He returned to court again yesterday, but his bail hearing could not proceed and the matter was again postponed until today.Nangolo told Magistrate Shilemba that he has been employed with Telecom Namibia for 13 years.He is now working as a chief technician – an important post with responsibilities that include monitoring the entire telecommunications network throughout Namibia and maintaining the country’s phone infrastructure, he said.The Police reported on Sunday that Nangolo was arrested at about 19h30 on Thursday last week.According to Nangolo’s testimony before Magistrate Shilemba on Tuesday, that arrest took place only two hours before he was supposed to report for duty at Telecom Namibia.He told the court that following his arrest he had to contact someone at the parastatal to warn them that he would not be able to make it to work that evening, so that they could arrange that someone else took over the night shift that he was supposed to be working.Nangolo told the Magistrate that he needs to be released on bail because if he had to remain in custody, he would run the risk of losing his job, where he said he is paid N$13 000 a month.Nangolo did not want to answer questions on the merits of the charges against him.Those are three separate counts of dealing in illegal drugs, being one charge of dealing in 53 grammes of cocaine, alleged to be valued at N$26 500, a charge of dealing in 24 ecstasy tablets, allegedly valued at N$2 880, and a third charge of dealing in 3,936 kilogrammes of dagga, claimed to be worth some N$11 848.The Police claim to have found the cocaine and ecstasy in Nangolo’s possession at the time of his arrest.The cannabis, they allege, was found in his house.While he did not want to discuss those charges, Nangolo was however prepared to admit that he is also facing a charge of pointing a firearm at a member of the Namibian Police’s Drug Law Enforcement Unit.He was free on bail on that charge when he was arrested last week.The Police officer who laid that charge against him was also involved in his arrest last week, Nangolo told the court.”I’m not guilty at all,” he said about that charge, without making the same statement about the latest trio of drug dealing charges.He did however tell the court about the circumstances of his arrest, which he said took place while he was driving from houses situated next to the Windhoek Country Club Hotel.He said someone jumped in front of his car, and he swerved to avoid hitting the person, who turned out to be the commanding officer of the Drug Law Enforcement Unit, Detective Chief Inspector Barry de Klerk.He was in the process of stopping his car when a shot was fired by one of the Police officers at the scene, Nangolo related.He denied that he had been trying to flee from the scene before he stopped the vehicle and the arrest was effected.Defence lawyer Bradley Basson is representing Nangolo in the bail application.Public Prosecutor Petrus Grusshaber, who is representing the State, is opposing the application.He returned to court again yesterday, but his bail hearing could not proceed and the matter was again postponed until today.Nangolo told Magistrate Shilemba that he has been employed with Telecom Namibia for 13 years.He is now working as a chief technician – an important post with responsibilities that include monitoring the entire telecommunications network throughout Namibia and maintaining the country’s phone infrastructure, he said.The Police reported on Sunday that Nangolo was arrested at about 19h30 on Thursday last week.According to Nangolo’s testimony before Magistrate Shilemba on Tuesday, that arrest took place only two hours before he was supposed to report for duty at Telecom Namibia.He told the court that following his arrest he had to contact someone at the parastatal to warn them that he would not be able to make it to work that evening, so that they could arrange that someone else took over the night shift that he was supposed to be working.Nangolo told the Magistrate that he needs to be released on bail because if he had to remain in custody, he would run the risk of losing his job, where he said he is paid N$13 000 a month.Nangolo did not want to answer questions on the merits of the charges against him.Those are three separate counts of dealing in illegal drugs, being one charge of dealing in 53 grammes of cocaine, alleged to be valued at N$26 500, a charge of dealing in 24 ecstasy tablets, allegedly valued at N$2 880, and a third charge of dealing in 3,936 kilogrammes of dagga, claimed to be worth some N$11 848.The Police claim to have found the cocaine and ecstasy in Nangolo’s possession at the time of his arrest.The cannabis, they allege, was found in his house.While he did not want to discuss those charges, Nangolo was however prepared to admit that he is also facing a charge of pointing a firearm at a member of the Namibian Police’s Drug Law Enforcement Unit.He was free on bail on that charge when he was arrested last week.The Police officer who laid that charge against him was also involved in his arrest last week, Nangolo told the court.”I’m not guilty at all,” he said about that charge, without making the same statement about the latest trio of drug dealing charges.He did however tell the court about the circumstances of his arrest, which he said took place while he was driving from houses situated next to the Windhoek Country Club Hotel.He said someone jumped in front of his car, and he swerved to avoid hitting the person, who turned out to be the commanding officer of the Drug Law Enforcement Unit, Detective Chief Inspector Barry de Klerk.He was in the process of stopping his car when a shot was fired by one of the Police officers at the scene, Nangolo related.He denied that he had been trying to flee from the scene before he stopped the vehicle and the arrest was effected.Defence lawyer Bradley Basson is representing Nangolo in the bail application.Public Prosecutor Petrus Grusshaber, who is representing the State, is opposing the application.