A Grootfontein resident accused of involvement in Islamist terrorism activities in Namibia is due to stand trial in the Windhoek High Court on 19 charges.
Jona Hangula (32) was informed in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Friday that the prosecutor general (PG) has directed he should stand trial in the High Court.
The PG has also decided that Hangula will be prosecuted on 19 charges, including a charge of high treason, a charge of terrorism, a count of funding terrorist activities, two counts of recruiting persons as members of organisations designated as terrorist entities or to participate in terrorist activities, and a charge of membership of an organisation involved in terrorist or proliferation activities.
In addition to those charges, Hangula is also set to be prosecuted on 13 counts of employing a person who was in Namibia in contravention of the Immigration Control Act.
Hangula denied guilt on 17 charges in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in December last year.
He was arrested in June 2023, and has been held in custody since then.
The state is alleging that Hangula conspired to carry out a violent takeover of the authority of the state in Namibia between 2015 and 2020.
He allegedly conspired or attempted to conspire with others to overthrow the Namibian government and establish an Islamic state in the country.
It is also alleged that Hangula conspired to establish a military base in northern Namibia or southern Angola.
The state is further alleging that he showed support for designated terrorist organisations such as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis), the Nigerian organisation Boko Haram, Isis in Mozambique, and groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo, and that he attempted to recruit support for those organisations and encouraged people to join the organisations.
Hangula is also alleged to have declared a willingness to send money to Isis supporters in camps in Syria, and to have attempted to recruit a suicide bomber.
In a plea statement given to the court, he said the charges against him did not provide enough particulars for him to meaningfully provide an explanation of his pleas.
He said the evidence in his case has not been disclosed to him yet.
“I, however, declare that I am not guilty of any offences,” Hangula stated.
Magistrate Jurina /Hoxobes ordered that Hangula should make his first appearance in the Windhoek High Court on 21 May.
Hangula is being represented by defence lawyer Wihan Brand and remains in custody.
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