Activists at Okahandja are bracing to protest the possible granting of bail to South Arican Armand Schultz (29), David Van der Linden (42), and Johannes Kamati (61), who were arrested in connection with a drug bust valued at N$52 million.
Lead activist Gerub Gaseb told The Namibian that the community is “deeply disturbed” by the scale of the drug operation uncovered and is calling on the justice system to send a strong message.
“These individuals must not be granted bail. This is not a petty crime, it’s a multimillion-dollar operation that threatens our society, especially our youth,” Gaseb says.
The suspects were arrested following the discovery of a 1.55-hectare cannabis plantation valued at over N$52 million at Farm Eendrag, located between Hochfeld and the Osire Refugee Settlement in the Otjozondjupa region.
The operation was the result of intelligence gathered after police at a roadblock at Okahandja searched a vehicle and uncovered 52 parcels of cannabis.
Further investigations led law enforcement to the plantation, believed to be a base of operations for a major drug trafficking syndicate.
Authorities have since seized Farm Eendrag, linking it directly to the ongoing investigation.
The suspects are expected to appear in court for a bail hearing this week, but Gaseb and fellow activists say they will take to the streets if the court grants release.
“We are ready to mobilise,” Gaseb says. “Drug syndicates must not find comfort in loopholes. This is about protecting our communities.”
