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Saturday, 26 September 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Saturday, 26 September 2026
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Namibian press · Person

Jona Hangula

Jona Hangula — accused of conspiring to overthrow the Namibian government and establish an Islamic state between 2015 and 2020, facing terrorism and high treason charges.

2025-09-212026-09-26

What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

  1. September 2026
  2. Informanté

    Jona Hangula is accused of conspiring to overthrow the Namibian nation state and bring about a new Islamic government ruled by Muslim law between 2015 and 2020

    Source

    “THE terrorism case of Jona Hangula, who is accused of conspiring to overthrow the Namibian nation state and bring about a new Islamic government ruled by Muslim law in the country between 2015 and 2020, has been postponed to next week after irregularities were pointed out in terms of the translations done from Arabic to English.”

    Translation hiccups hold up terrorism trial
  3. August 2026
  4. The Namibian

    Jona Hangula is awaiting trial on 19 charges including high treason and terrorism

    Source

    “Hangula is awaiting trial on 19 charges, including a count of high treason, a charge of terrorism, a count of funding terrorist activities, two counts of recruiting persons as members of designated organisations or to participate in terrorist activities, and a charge of membership of an organisation involved in terrorist or proliferation activities.”

    Terrorism case translations could cost close to N$0.5m
  5. The Namibian

    Jona Hangula is alleged to have conspired to carry out violent take-over and establish Islamic state 2015-2020

    Source

    “In the charges, it is alleged that Hangula conspired to carry out a violent take-over of the authority of the state in Namibia and establish an Islamic state in the country between 2015 and 2020.”

    Terrorism case translations could cost close to N$0.5m
  6. Informanté

    Jona Hangula faces 19 charges including terrorism funding and recruiting for terrorist organisations

    Source

    “Hangula faces 19 charges, ranging from terrorism funding and recruiting persons to become members of a terrorist organisation to contravening sections of the Namibian Immigration Act, among others.”

    NamPol to cough up half a million for Arabic translations in terrorism case
  7. Informanté

    Jona Hangula is alleged to have sought to recruit unemployed Namibian youth to join ISIS and Boko Haram

    Source

    “The State alleges that between 2015 and 2020, Hangula sought to recruit unemployed Namibian youth to join ISIS and Boko Haram, with the intention of overthrowing the Namibian Government to establish a new non-secular state in Namibia ruled by Muslim law.”

    NamPol to cough up half a million for Arabic translations in terrorism case
  8. July 2026
  9. The Namibian

    Jona Hangula is awaiting trial on 19 charges including high treason, terrorism, and funding terrorist activities

    Source

    “Hangula is awaiting trial on 19 charges, including a count of high treason, a charge of terrorism, a count of funding terrorist activities, two counts of recruiting persons as members of designated organisations or to participate in terrorist activities, and a charge of membership of an organisation involved in terrorist or proliferation activities.”

    Translations of Arabic evidence 
wanted in terrorism case
  10. The Namibian

    Jona Hangula was arrested and charged in June 2023

    Source

    “Hangula was arrested and charged in June 2023, and has been held in custody since then.”

    Translations of Arabic evidence 
wanted in terrorism case
  11. Informanté

    Jona Hangula is accused of working with ISIS and Boko Haram to allegedly overthrow Namibian government

    Source

    “HIGH Court judge Hannelie Prinsloo has deferred providing a judgment on an in-camera application by the State, which sought to have a closed-door court hearing on the trial of Jona Hangula, a 32-year-old Namibian accused of working with terrorist organisations ISIS and Boko Haram, with the aim of allegedly overthrowing the Namibian government to create a new nation-state.”

    High Court judge defers secret trial application in terrorism case
  12. Windhoek Observer

    Jona Hangula has asked the High Court to reject the State's application to hear FBI evidence behind closed doors

    Source

    “Terrorism accused Jona Hangula has asked the High Court to reject the State's application to hear the evidence of an alleged United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent behind closed doors, arguing that the proceedings should remain open to the public to safeguard his constitutional right to a fair trial.”

    Hangula opposes closed-door FBI testimony in his terrorism trial
  13. Windhoek Observer

    Jona Hangula is charged in Namibia's first prosecution under the Prevention and Combating of Terrorist and Proliferation Activities Act since independence

    Source

    “Hangula is charged in what he describes as Namibia's first prosecution under the Prevention and Combating of Terrorist and Proliferation Activities Act since independence.”

    Hangula opposes closed-door FBI testimony in his terrorism trial
Politics

Jona Hangula terrorism trial postponed over translation irregularities

The News

The terrorism case against Jona Hangula, accused of conspiring to overthrow the government and establish an Islamic state between 2015 and 2020, has been postponed after his lawyer flagged irregularities in Arabic-to-English translations commissioned by Selah Professional Linguistic Services for about N$500,000. The defence claims the translator used is not qualified for the subject matter, while prosecutors said they were unaware of the issue; the court adjourned to 29 September to allow the State to investigate.

24 September 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 24 September

  1. Jona Hangula terrorism trial postponed over translation irregularities

    The terrorism case against Jona Hangula, accused of conspiring to overthrow the government and establish an Islamic state between 2015 and 2020, has been postponed after his lawyer flagged irregularities in Arabic-to-English translations commissioned by Selah Professional Linguistic Services for about N$500,000. The defence claims the translator used is not qualified for the subject matter, while prosecutors said they were unaware of the issue; the court adjourned to 29 September to allow the State to investigate.

    24 September 2026 · Informanté →

Sunday 23 August

  1. Terrorism case translation quoted at N$462,000

    A company has quoted N$462,000 to translate evidence from Arabic into English for a terrorism and high treason case involving accused Jona Hangula in the High Court, with the Namibian Police responsible for the cost and a procurement process required before the work can begin.

    23 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 20 August

  1. NamPol to pay N$500,000 for Arabic translations in terrorism case

    The Namibian Police Force's Procurement Unit has been ordered to pay N$500,000 for translation of Arabic documents in the High Court terrorism case involving Jona Hangula, after a lack of available court-admitted Arabic translators prompted the procurement of private translation services.

    20 August 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 23 July

  1. Defence seeks English translations of Arabic evidence in terrorism case

    Jona Hangula's defence lawyer has requested the state provide English translations of Arabic evidence in a pending High Court terrorism case. Hangula, 33, faces 19 charges including high treason, terrorism, and funding terrorist activities, and is the first person charged under Namibia's Prevention and Combating of Terrorist and Proliferation Activities Act of 2014.

    23 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 22 July

  1. High Court defers in-camera ruling in terrorism trial case

    High Court judge Hannelie Prinsloo has deferred a judgment on the State's application for a closed-door hearing in the trial of Jona Hangula, a 32-year-old accused of working with ISIS and Boko Haram to allegedly overthrow the Namibian government. The in-camera application will be decided by the trial judge once assigned to the case; the matter was postponed to 20 August 2026 pending translation of Arabic-language evidence documents.

    22 July 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 17 July

  1. Terrorism accused Hangula opposes closed-door FBI testimony

    Jona Hangula, accused under Namibia's Prevention and Combating of Terrorist and Proliferation Activities Act, has asked the High Court to reject the State's application for closed-door testimony from an alleged FBI agent, arguing it would breach his right to a fair trial. He proposes the witness testify remotely via Zoom or Teams in open court, with his family, friends, church members, and full legal team permitted to attend.

    17 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

  2. Hangula opposes closed-door FBI testimony in terrorism trial

    Terrorism-accused Jona Hangula has filed a motion opposing the prosecution's request to hear FBI agent testimony behind closed doors, arguing the proceedings should remain open to safeguard his constitutional right to a fair trial. Hangula proposes the witness testify remotely without video and requests that his family, friends, and entire legal team be allowed to attend.

    17 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Thursday 16 July

  1. Terrorism-accused Hangula opposes secret court proceedings

    Jona Hangula, 32, accused of working with ISIS and Boko Haram to overthrow the Namibian government, has filed a motion opposing the State's request for "in camera" (private) court proceedings. His legal representative is asking the High Court to dismiss the application for closed hearings and requests that evidence from an alleged FBI agent be presented in open court.

    16 July 2026 · Informanté →

Wednesday 8 July

  1. Angola prosecutors seek 18-year jail terms for two Russians

    Angolan prosecutors have asked a court to sentence two Russian nationals to 18 years in prison each and expel them after serving their terms in a terrorism case. The trial, running alongside a separate terrorism case in Namibia involving Jona Hangula, involves the Russians and two Angolan men, with prosecutors seeking varying sentences of 10–15 years for the Angolans.

    8 July 2026 · Informanté →

Monday 6 July

  1. State seeks to shield FBI witness identity in Hangula terrorism trial

    The State has applied for parts of the terrorism trial of Jona Hangula to be heard behind closed doors, citing security concerns. The prosecution is seeking to allow an FBI special agent to testify under an alias, in disguise, and with limited courtroom access.

    6 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Jona Hangula — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute