Freed Hengari to sue state
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) member of parliament Inna Hengari plans to sue the state for her arrest on Independence Day in March after the charges against her were withdrawn.
Hengari and activists Dimbulukeni Nauyoma and Michael Amushelelo were charged with counts of public violence, malicious damage to property and incitement to public violence after being arrested at a planned demonstration by unemployment youths in Katutura.
On Friday, State prosecutor Tatelo Lusepani told the court they were withdrawing the charges against Hengari because there was no prima facie case against her. The opposition lawmaker spent three nights in police custody before she was granted bail of N$5 000.
Constitutional rights
Hengari yesterday confirmed that she will bring a lawsuit against the police, whom she accuses of a crackdown on dissenting voices, and other state organs.
The 27-year-old said: "I will make use of all legal instruments available to me, as a citizen who spoke up in the face of injustice and chose to stand side by side with the young unemployed people of this country, to seek justice for unlawful arrest, amongst other things."
She added: "We must never treat these arrests as isolated cases, because the continued arrests and detention of dissenting voices is not in line with our national values and principles as enshrined in our Constitution. I will be going toe to toe with the state and security apparatus on this."
Ongoing trial
While the charges against Hengari have been dropped, Amushelelo remains in jail on the same charges, pending trial. His bail bid has failed in both the magistrate's court and the High Court.
The trial for Amushelelo and Nauyoma kicked off on Friday, with the police admitting that the damage to one of the police cars occurred after the two men were already arrested and placed inside one of the police vans. The State, however, argues that the two must take accountability for the damage because they organised the gathering of angry unemployed youth. The trial continues on 12 September.
Hengari and activists Dimbulukeni Nauyoma and Michael Amushelelo were charged with counts of public violence, malicious damage to property and incitement to public violence after being arrested at a planned demonstration by unemployment youths in Katutura.
On Friday, State prosecutor Tatelo Lusepani told the court they were withdrawing the charges against Hengari because there was no prima facie case against her. The opposition lawmaker spent three nights in police custody before she was granted bail of N$5 000.
Constitutional rights
Hengari yesterday confirmed that she will bring a lawsuit against the police, whom she accuses of a crackdown on dissenting voices, and other state organs.
The 27-year-old said: "I will make use of all legal instruments available to me, as a citizen who spoke up in the face of injustice and chose to stand side by side with the young unemployed people of this country, to seek justice for unlawful arrest, amongst other things."
She added: "We must never treat these arrests as isolated cases, because the continued arrests and detention of dissenting voices is not in line with our national values and principles as enshrined in our Constitution. I will be going toe to toe with the state and security apparatus on this."
Ongoing trial
While the charges against Hengari have been dropped, Amushelelo remains in jail on the same charges, pending trial. His bail bid has failed in both the magistrate's court and the High Court.
The trial for Amushelelo and Nauyoma kicked off on Friday, with the police admitting that the damage to one of the police cars occurred after the two men were already arrested and placed inside one of the police vans. The State, however, argues that the two must take accountability for the damage because they organised the gathering of angry unemployed youth. The trial continues on 12 September.
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