Swakopmund: A former Swakopmund-based skydiver, Christiaan Oosthuizen, who was convicted and sentenced to five years' imprisonment for dealing in dangerous dependence-producing substances, is appealing his sentence in the Windhoek High Court. Judges Claudia Claasen and Makapa Simasiku have reserved judgment until 01 August 2025.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Oosthuizen was found guilty of dealing in dangerous dependence-producing substances - namely mandrax and cocaine alkaloid - in Swakopmund in January 2022. The State also charged him with an additional offence of unlawfully dealing in drugs by possessing 30 capsules containing crystals and crystal particles of methylene dioxymethamphetamine and cannabis. The total value of the drugs was N.dollars 25 106.

Oosthuizen pleaded guilty to the charges during the trial and was subsequently sentenced to five years' imprisonment. In mitigation before sentencing, he testified that his income had drastically declined from N.dollars 15 000 to N.dollars 30 000 prior to the Covid-19 pandemic to just N.dollars 3 000 to N.dollars 6 000.

Oosthuizen told the court that he is married and is a father of one. He explained that the reduction in his income placed strain on his responsibilities, which led him to succumb to the temptation presented by an unnamed individual who approached him to become involved in drug dealing. He admitted to being entangled in the drug trade between 2021 and 2022. The court was also informed that Oosthuizen is a first-time offender.