Legal aid delay knocks back beginning of Bakondja trial

A DELAY in granting legal aid to armed robbery and kidnapping suspect Bakondja Katjiuongua – once Namibia’s most wanted man during a three-month-long flight from the law – yesterday had the knock-on effect of delaying the start of his trial for another six months.

Katjiuongua (25) and two co-accused, James Isaacks (30) and his brother, Lawrence Isaacks (25), made a sixth appearance in the Windhoek Regional Court yesterday, only to hear again that their case was being postponed once more. This time, though, Public Prosecutor Belinda Wantenaar asked Magistrate Gert Retief to remand the case to the week of October 25 to 29 for the trio to plead and for their trial to get out of the starting blocks.The latest delay was caused by the late appointment of a defence lawyer for Katjiuongua.The Directorate of Legal Aid instructed Unanisa Hengari only yesterday morning to represent Katjiuongua at his trial, the Prosecutor indicated to the court.The three suspects have been in custody since June 11 2001.They have been jointly charged with five counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, three counts of kidnapping, and two charges of attempted murder, alternatively negligent discharge of a firearm.These crimes are claimed to have been committed while Katjiuongua regularly made news headlines during a three-month period when he managed to evade being recaptured by the Police following his third escape from custody on March 1 2001.It is claimed that during those three months he teamed up with the Isaacks brothers to carry out a series of armed robberies.Three of those alleged robberies are claimed to have involved the kidnapping of vehicle drivers while Katjiuongua and his alleged partner(s) in crime robbed the drivers’ cars.Katjiuongua is also set face a further six charges on his own when the trio’s trial starts.Those charges include three counts of escaping from custody – in September 2000, October 2000 and March 2001 – and a charge of theft of a firearm and illegal possession of a firearm.Magistrate Retief told all three suspects that they will remain in custody until their trial starts.Katjiuongua is also set to make another appearance in the Windhoek Regional Court on Friday.In that matter, he and his former girlfriend are charged with fraud and theft.It was while he was in custody on those initial charges, which stemmed from Katjiuongua allegedly having used stolen cheques to finance a shopping spree that they embarked on during September and October 2000, that he is claimed to have staged the first of his escapes from custody.This time, though, Public Prosecutor Belinda Wantenaar asked Magistrate Gert Retief to remand the case to the week of October 25 to 29 for the trio to plead and for their trial to get out of the starting blocks.The latest delay was caused by the late appointment of a defence lawyer for Katjiuongua.The Directorate of Legal Aid instructed Unanisa Hengari only yesterday morning to represent Katjiuongua at his trial, the Prosecutor indicated to the court.The three suspects have been in custody since June 11 2001.They have been jointly charged with five counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, three counts of kidnapping, and two charges of attempted murder, alternatively negligent discharge of a firearm.These crimes are claimed to have been committed while Katjiuongua regularly made news headlines during a three-month period when he managed to evade being recaptured by the Police following his third escape from custody on March 1 2001.It is claimed that during those three months he teamed up with the Isaacks brothers to carry out a series of armed robberies.Three of those alleged robberies are claimed to have involved the kidnapping of vehicle drivers while Katjiuongua and his alleged partner(s) in crime robbed the drivers’ cars.Katjiuongua is also set face a further six charges on his own when the trio’s trial starts.Those charges include three counts of escaping from custody – in September 2000, October 2000 and March 2001 – and a charge of theft of a firearm and illegal possession of a firearm.Magistrate Retief told all three suspects that they will remain in custody until their trial starts.Katjiuongua is also set to make another appearance in the Windhoek Regional Court on Friday.In that matter, he and his former girlfriend are charged with fraud and theft.It was while he was in custody on those initial charges, which stemmed from Katjiuongua allegedly having used stolen cheques to finance a shopping spree that they embarked on during September and October 2000, that he is claimed to have staged the first of his escapes from custody.