Missing document halts rape case
Trial of hostel father accused of 20 counts of rape postponed
A decision by the Office of the Prosecutor-General on whether to proceed with the case of the hostel supervisor facing 20 counts of rape of ten minor boys has been temporarily put on hold due to a missing court charge sheet.
The 48-year-old Mervin Ngujapeua’ s case was postponed until Monday next week after the PG’s decision, which was due this week Monday, could not be made due to the missing document.
According to the Otjiwarongo Magistrate’s Court control prosecutor Lewis Chigunwe, the court’s charge sheet, which contains detailed notes on the case history, was misfiled and the court is in the process of locating the document.
He explained that while an electronic version of the charge sheet exists, the manual version is more detailed while the online version contains only summaries.
Ngujapeua on Monday this week also applied for legal aid, after his lawyer Milton Engelbrecht from Engelbrecht Attorneys in Windhoek had to withdraw as the defence attorney due to a lack of funds on Ngujapeua’s part.
He faces 20 counts of rape following accusations from ten boys aged between 13 and 17, at Karundu Primary School in Otjiwarongo. The juveniles allege that the hostel father molested them for a number of years, starting at the end of 2013.
Sources reported that Ngujapeua began work at the school in 2012 and the abuse took place while he was on duty during night shifts.
The rape and molestation claims allege that Ngujapeua had forced the young boys to watch pornographic material on his cell phone during the late night hours, before forcing them to engage in sexual acts.
Following the accused’s arrest in March, a public outcry ensued with family and friends of the alleged victims threatening a protest march should Ngujapeua be granted bail.
During his bail application in May state prosecutor Johannes Kalipi successfully argued in front of Otjiwarongo Magistrate Helvi Shilemba that Ngujapeua’s work had placed him in a trusted father figure position which he allegedly abused to molest the boys.
In June, Shilemba denied bail and ordered that the accused remain behind bars on the grounds that it would not be in the public interest to release him and that the court had a duty to protect the public.
Kalipi told the court during the bail application that many of the children were deeply traumatised by the alleged molestation and were struggling to cope.
Ngujapeua is married and his wife resides in Okakarara.
JANA-MARI SMITH
The 48-year-old Mervin Ngujapeua’ s case was postponed until Monday next week after the PG’s decision, which was due this week Monday, could not be made due to the missing document.
According to the Otjiwarongo Magistrate’s Court control prosecutor Lewis Chigunwe, the court’s charge sheet, which contains detailed notes on the case history, was misfiled and the court is in the process of locating the document.
He explained that while an electronic version of the charge sheet exists, the manual version is more detailed while the online version contains only summaries.
Ngujapeua on Monday this week also applied for legal aid, after his lawyer Milton Engelbrecht from Engelbrecht Attorneys in Windhoek had to withdraw as the defence attorney due to a lack of funds on Ngujapeua’s part.
He faces 20 counts of rape following accusations from ten boys aged between 13 and 17, at Karundu Primary School in Otjiwarongo. The juveniles allege that the hostel father molested them for a number of years, starting at the end of 2013.
Sources reported that Ngujapeua began work at the school in 2012 and the abuse took place while he was on duty during night shifts.
The rape and molestation claims allege that Ngujapeua had forced the young boys to watch pornographic material on his cell phone during the late night hours, before forcing them to engage in sexual acts.
Following the accused’s arrest in March, a public outcry ensued with family and friends of the alleged victims threatening a protest march should Ngujapeua be granted bail.
During his bail application in May state prosecutor Johannes Kalipi successfully argued in front of Otjiwarongo Magistrate Helvi Shilemba that Ngujapeua’s work had placed him in a trusted father figure position which he allegedly abused to molest the boys.
In June, Shilemba denied bail and ordered that the accused remain behind bars on the grounds that it would not be in the public interest to release him and that the court had a duty to protect the public.
Kalipi told the court during the bail application that many of the children were deeply traumatised by the alleged molestation and were struggling to cope.
Ngujapeua is married and his wife resides in Okakarara.
JANA-MARI SMITH
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