Justice must be swift
The decision by the Windhoek Magistrate's Court to release commissioner for refugees Likius Valombola on N$15 000 bail, following his re-arrest for allegedly shooting and killing a youth leader, has evoked huge public reaction.
Magistrate Antonious Shapumba ruled last Thursday that Valombola be released, while adding there is no evidence to sway the court to believe he is a violent person or that he is danger to public safety. This has been described as laughable.
According to the magistrate the accused denied being the aggressor during the incident in which 27-year-old Helao Ndjaba - a former Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) national executive committee member - was shot twice in the head in in Katutura on 19 May.
The 53-year-old home affairs official was re-arrested in Opuwo on 23 May, after he was suspiciously released on a warning a few hours after the shooting, allegedly without appearing before a magistrate.
Shapumba said further in his ruling that the Ndjaba family had objected to bail and maintained the victim was a young entrepreneur, who owned a printing business and was the only breadwinner for his siblings.
However, the magistrate said the court also considers the criminal history of the accused, while also finding it was unlikely that Valombola would abscond, interfere with the police investigation or with state witnesses, as well as endanger the safety of others.
In the aftermath of the bail ruling, citizens from all walks of life have vented their frustration, with some even saying there is “s**thole justice” in Namibia.
While this kind of reaction may be valid, considering the initial release of Valombola under alleged mysterious circumstances, we must be careful not to attack the justice system in a way that undermines our democracy. Of course our hearts go out to the Ndjaba family and we will be watching the unfolding court case with hawk eyes.
It is now up to the state to bring this matter to a head as soon as possible, by completing investigations and ensuring that justice is swiftly served.
We cannot tolerate another trial that drags on for years and years, while a family cries out for justice!
The social contract between citizenry and the state dictates that closure must come as a matter of urgency, in this and many other matters.
Magistrate Antonious Shapumba ruled last Thursday that Valombola be released, while adding there is no evidence to sway the court to believe he is a violent person or that he is danger to public safety. This has been described as laughable.
According to the magistrate the accused denied being the aggressor during the incident in which 27-year-old Helao Ndjaba - a former Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) national executive committee member - was shot twice in the head in in Katutura on 19 May.
The 53-year-old home affairs official was re-arrested in Opuwo on 23 May, after he was suspiciously released on a warning a few hours after the shooting, allegedly without appearing before a magistrate.
Shapumba said further in his ruling that the Ndjaba family had objected to bail and maintained the victim was a young entrepreneur, who owned a printing business and was the only breadwinner for his siblings.
However, the magistrate said the court also considers the criminal history of the accused, while also finding it was unlikely that Valombola would abscond, interfere with the police investigation or with state witnesses, as well as endanger the safety of others.
In the aftermath of the bail ruling, citizens from all walks of life have vented their frustration, with some even saying there is “s**thole justice” in Namibia.
While this kind of reaction may be valid, considering the initial release of Valombola under alleged mysterious circumstances, we must be careful not to attack the justice system in a way that undermines our democracy. Of course our hearts go out to the Ndjaba family and we will be watching the unfolding court case with hawk eyes.
It is now up to the state to bring this matter to a head as soon as possible, by completing investigations and ensuring that justice is swiftly served.
We cannot tolerate another trial that drags on for years and years, while a family cries out for justice!
The social contract between citizenry and the state dictates that closure must come as a matter of urgency, in this and many other matters.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article