Judge Shafimana Ueitele has ordered the Namibian Government to release four Angolan children who have been in state custody for more than four years.

In 2018, the state opened a case against businessman Simon Andjamba on charges of human trafficking.

It was alleged that the businessman trafficked the four children from Angola.

The four children have since been kept in the custody of the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication, and Social Welfare at an undisclosed location.

After sourcing funds, the mothers of the four children eventually came to Namibia to demand the release of their children, saying they were not trafficking victims.

The Angolan parents filed an urgent application with the high court seeking custody of their children.

In court papers filed by Sisa Namandje, the parents said their children were not victims of human trafficking and that they came to Namibia with their parents' permission.

According to the parents, Andjamba is an uncle to the children, and thus the children were released into his care with the consent of their parents.

According to the mothers, Andjamba has always been eager to help his extended family, and the children come to help him with errands, which he would then reward.

In 2020, Andjamba was arrested on human trafficking charges.

He was granted a N$15,000 bail, and the case was transferred to the commercial court.

Judge Ueitele on Friday ordered the State to, with immediate effect, release the children in question into the custody of their families.