Ondonga court matter drags on
The Oshakati High Court is yet to set a date to hear the matter in which the dismissed senior leaders of the Ondonga Traditional Authority have dragged the king, Immanuel Kauluma Elifas, to court challenging their dismissal.
Since Monday, the group of dismissed leaders are operating under the banner of the traditional authority at an office situated at Oniipa, parallel with their successors who are operating from the authority's offices at Oluno in Ondangwa.
The six have approached the High Court to challenge their dismissal by the king in July. They are the former traditional authority chairperson Peter Kauluma, former spokesperson Joseph Asino, the senior headman for Ondangwa district John Walenga, former Oshikoto governor Vilho Kamanya, Kashona kaMalulu, Tonata Ngulu and Fillemon Nambili.
In court on Monday, Judge Maphios Cheda heard the case's status from counsel before postponing the matter to 14 May for case management.
Lawyer Elize Angula of Angula Incorporated, representing the dismissed leaders, and Melvin Nyambe of Shikongo Law Chambers representing the king appeared before Judge Cheda.
Angula told Namibian Sun that only after the case management conference will a date be set for the hearing.
“This was a status hearing, updating the court on how far the correspondence between the parties has progressed. We have completed the exchange of pleadings, meaning everybody said what they were expected to say and now we are only waiting for the case management conference. After that the hearing will be set,” Angula said.
It is reported that the dismissed councillors were left with no other choice but to take Elifas to court as all their attempts to meet with him and explain the legal consequences of their dismissal had failed.
The Ondonga troubles started when the dismissed councillors challenged the removal of Uukwanambwa district headman Wilbard Lidker, who was replaced by Ester Gwashamba Nepando in February last year.
The group of six is also questioned the signature stamp used by the traditional authority in their correspondence announcing the firing and hiring of new councillors.
ILENI NANDJATO
Since Monday, the group of dismissed leaders are operating under the banner of the traditional authority at an office situated at Oniipa, parallel with their successors who are operating from the authority's offices at Oluno in Ondangwa.
The six have approached the High Court to challenge their dismissal by the king in July. They are the former traditional authority chairperson Peter Kauluma, former spokesperson Joseph Asino, the senior headman for Ondangwa district John Walenga, former Oshikoto governor Vilho Kamanya, Kashona kaMalulu, Tonata Ngulu and Fillemon Nambili.
In court on Monday, Judge Maphios Cheda heard the case's status from counsel before postponing the matter to 14 May for case management.
Lawyer Elize Angula of Angula Incorporated, representing the dismissed leaders, and Melvin Nyambe of Shikongo Law Chambers representing the king appeared before Judge Cheda.
Angula told Namibian Sun that only after the case management conference will a date be set for the hearing.
“This was a status hearing, updating the court on how far the correspondence between the parties has progressed. We have completed the exchange of pleadings, meaning everybody said what they were expected to say and now we are only waiting for the case management conference. After that the hearing will be set,” Angula said.
It is reported that the dismissed councillors were left with no other choice but to take Elifas to court as all their attempts to meet with him and explain the legal consequences of their dismissal had failed.
The Ondonga troubles started when the dismissed councillors challenged the removal of Uukwanambwa district headman Wilbard Lidker, who was replaced by Ester Gwashamba Nepando in February last year.
The group of six is also questioned the signature stamp used by the traditional authority in their correspondence announcing the firing and hiring of new councillors.
ILENI NANDJATO
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