Govt denies jail pardon patronage

State House yesterday dismissed views that President Hifikepunye Pohamba's recent surprise pardoning of convicted fraudsters Sackey Namugongo and Gerry Munyama had anything to do with them being prominent Swapo members. Munyama was pardoned by Pohamba in September last year, after spending two years in prison following his 10-year sentence for fraud and forgery, committed while he was NBC director-general. Three years of his sentence were conditionally suspended. Munyama, who was convicted of fraud involving N$100 720, subsequently appealed and the sentence was reduced to six years, of which three were suspended. The former NBC boss, who is widely seen as a Swapo intellectual, was named among the 38 members of the party's think tank in 2008. Pohamba, who doubles as Swapo president, pardoned him with a host of other inmates late last year. Munyama remains an active Swapo activist and has previously served as the secretary for foreign relations of the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL). He also served on the youth wing's central committee. As part of Heroes Day celebrations in August, Pohamba ordered the release of Namugongo alongside hundreds of other inmates, as recently reported in Namibian Sun. Namugongo is former senior official in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and was sentence to eight years imprisonment in May 2010, for 19 counts of corruption involving a total of N$332 500. He was found guilty of pocketing the money from a series of transactions in which gambling machine owners paid him to have their machines licensed. During his trial, Namugongo also argued that he was accused because of his strong allegiance to Swapo. Namugongo worked fearlessly as a Swapo propagandist during his tenure as a presenter on the Swapo radio programme 'Voice of Namibia', during the liberation struggle. The presidency yesterday scoffed at suggestions that Munyama and Namugongo were pardoned largely because of their Swapo ties. “That is utter nonsense,” remarked Presidential Affairs Minister Albert Kawana. “Those who are claiming that they were pardoned because of their political affiliation must go read the proclamation.” Kawana says Pohamba did not cite names of specific individuals who should be pardoned when his issued his decree. “There is nobody's name mentioned in that proclamation. The President works with correctional services. How can he decide who and who not to pardon?” he asked. Pohamba also pardoned inmates older than 60 years, citing the possibility that they will not pose any risk to society when released. Inmates who were granted a reprieve had their sentences reduced by between three and six months. No inmates convicted of murder, attempted murder, rape, robbery with aggravating circumstances and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm were pardoned. Inmates serving sentences for housebreaking with aggravating circumstances, drug smuggling, and possession of illegal firearms or treason also do not meet the criteria. In South Africa, the recent medical paroles given to former national police commissioner Jackie Selebi and President Jacob Zuma's financial advisor Schabir Shaik caused massive controversy in that country, with claims that their strong allegiance to the ruling ANC party had an influence in their release. WINDHOEK ELVIS MURARANGANDA