Okahandja: The bail application hearing for three suspects associated with an alleged large-scale drug operation on a commercial farm in the Hochfeld area has been postponed to 14 and 15 August 2025. Magistrate Auguste Simon announced the delay after both Afrikaans court interpreters were reported sick since Tuesday.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the hearing was initially set to begin on Thursday morning. The suspects, initially two in number, now include a third individual. The original suspects, Armand Carel Schultz, 27, and David Strauss van der Linden, 43, were joined by Johannes Kamati, 61, who is also implicated in the case. Kamati, the farm driver, was first arrested when cannabis was found in his vehicle. He allegedly informed authorities that the drugs were meant for delivery in Okahandja. Schultz, a South African national, is the foreman of the farm, and Van der Linden is the farm owner.

All three appeared in court with their privately hired legal representatives. Schultz was represented by Bennie van der Westhuyzen, Van der Linden by Evert Gous, and Kamati by Rennie Strauss. A fourth suspect, Jakob Ganai, 43, was not present in court.

The State, represented by Advocate Maggy Shiyagaya-Lotto, noted earlier in the week that the arrests of the accused occurred between 29 and 31 May 2025. This followed the police discovery of a significant cannabis plantation at a Hochfeld commercial farm, with an estimated street value exceeding N.dollars 52 million. The charges against the accused include possession and/or dealing in illicit drugs, organized crime, and racketeering. All four suspects remain in police custody.

On Tuesday, around 100 community members from Okahandja opposed the bail through a petition handed to State Advocate Shiyagaya-Lotto. They argued that granting bail would not serve the public interest and highlighted the risk of the accused absconding, considering the gravity of the charges they face.