Nauyoma fumes as Amushelelo remains behind bars
Opposition activist Michael Amushelelo's application to appeal against a Magistrate's Court decision to refuse him bail was rejected yesterday – to the chagrin of co-accused Dimbulukeni Nauyoma.
Judges Naomi Shivute and Philanda Christiaan did not provide reasons for the ruling.
This after Amushelelo, the economic commissar for the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF), was arrested on Independence Day this year during a protest march to raise awareness about youth unemployment in Namibia.
Amushelelo's co-accused, member of parliament Inna Hengari and youth activist Dimbulukeni Nauyoma, were earlier granted bail.
Unpacking what happened on the day of Amushelelo’s arrest, Nauyoma said: “The mere fact that Michael Amushelelo had written to the inspector-general [of the Namibian Police], the mere fact that I communicated the message to the people, and Inna Hengari unfortunately for being present at the scene as a member of parliament – we were arrested.”
‘We were astonished’
Speaking on The Evening Review yesterday, Nauyoma recalled being unpleasantly surprised by the charges laid against him and his co-accused on the day of their arrest.
“When we got the charge sheet, we were astonished because we were not even charged for violating the Public Gatherings Act, because people gathered and according to the Act you can be charged for more than 20 people gathering.”
“So, the charges are not even on that. That is number one,” he said.
“We are charged with incitement to commit public violence as well as malicious damage to property, and also for the violation of a court order.
“There is no evidence that shows Dimbulukeni Nauyoma, Michael Amushelelo or Inna Hengari said ‘let us beat the police or let us destroy...’ because incitement to commit that, you must have said it for people to carry it out,” he fumed.
Dark hole
Nauyoma went on to say that he would like to remain hopeful in Amushelelo’s case, but his confidence in the future of Namibia’s judicial system is dwindling.
“Our country is headed to a dark hole. A dark hole where exercising constitutional rights must be a prerogative of the government of the day, those who are in charge of prosecution and those who must make the call.
“I get threatened to not even air my voice, because if I do it, other people are going to suffer those repercussions.
"If I do it, Michael will not be released,” he said.
Singing and dancing
During final arguments in his appeal application last month, Amushelelo's lawyer Kadhila Amoomo said his client was arrested “because he was singing and dancing".
He also argued that Amushelelo should be granted bail as Hengari and Nauyoma are already free on bail.
To this, public prosecutor Johannes Kalipi said Amushelelo should not enjoy the same preference as Hengari and Nauyoma because he had already been out on bail on a previous charge.
This charge relates to a Chinatown protest march in the capital in May 2022.
Judges Naomi Shivute and Philanda Christiaan did not provide reasons for the ruling.
This after Amushelelo, the economic commissar for the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF), was arrested on Independence Day this year during a protest march to raise awareness about youth unemployment in Namibia.
Amushelelo's co-accused, member of parliament Inna Hengari and youth activist Dimbulukeni Nauyoma, were earlier granted bail.
Unpacking what happened on the day of Amushelelo’s arrest, Nauyoma said: “The mere fact that Michael Amushelelo had written to the inspector-general [of the Namibian Police], the mere fact that I communicated the message to the people, and Inna Hengari unfortunately for being present at the scene as a member of parliament – we were arrested.”
‘We were astonished’
Speaking on The Evening Review yesterday, Nauyoma recalled being unpleasantly surprised by the charges laid against him and his co-accused on the day of their arrest.
“When we got the charge sheet, we were astonished because we were not even charged for violating the Public Gatherings Act, because people gathered and according to the Act you can be charged for more than 20 people gathering.”
“So, the charges are not even on that. That is number one,” he said.
“We are charged with incitement to commit public violence as well as malicious damage to property, and also for the violation of a court order.
“There is no evidence that shows Dimbulukeni Nauyoma, Michael Amushelelo or Inna Hengari said ‘let us beat the police or let us destroy...’ because incitement to commit that, you must have said it for people to carry it out,” he fumed.
Dark hole
Nauyoma went on to say that he would like to remain hopeful in Amushelelo’s case, but his confidence in the future of Namibia’s judicial system is dwindling.
“Our country is headed to a dark hole. A dark hole where exercising constitutional rights must be a prerogative of the government of the day, those who are in charge of prosecution and those who must make the call.
“I get threatened to not even air my voice, because if I do it, other people are going to suffer those repercussions.
"If I do it, Michael will not be released,” he said.
Singing and dancing
During final arguments in his appeal application last month, Amushelelo's lawyer Kadhila Amoomo said his client was arrested “because he was singing and dancing".
He also argued that Amushelelo should be granted bail as Hengari and Nauyoma are already free on bail.
To this, public prosecutor Johannes Kalipi said Amushelelo should not enjoy the same preference as Hengari and Nauyoma because he had already been out on bail on a previous charge.
This charge relates to a Chinatown protest march in the capital in May 2022.
Comments
Harry Tjihukununa
The.burden is with the state to prove the laid charges. Better to proceed to the supreme court!