PG still deciding on Seibeb’s treason charge
In a press statement issued yesterday, the Landless People’s Movement blasted the National Assembly, accusing it of running an anti-LPM agenda.
15 September 2021 | Local News
JEMIMA BEUKES/JEANETTE DIERGAARDT
WINDHOEK
Having succeeded in the fight to prove that their suspensions were illegal, Landless People’s Movement (LPM) second-in-command Henny Seibeb now waits with bated breath to see whether he will be prosecuted for treason.
This after Prosecutor-General (PG) Martha Imalwa yesterday indicated that she is yet to determine if Seibeb will be prosecuted on a treason case opened by presidential bodyguard, commissioner Johan Ndjarunguru, in April.
“I sent it back for further investigations,” Imalwa told this publication in a telephonic interview.
Ndjaronguru dragged Seibeb and Bernadus Swartbooi before the law following the State of the Nation Address fracas that played out in Parliament in April, which saw parliamentary proceedings being halted due to the commotion in the chamber and led to the eventual suspension of the LPM leaders for their alleged “dishonourable” conduct.
At the time, the Namibian police said it committed the necessary resources to probe the high treason case.
Police chief Sebastian Ndeitunga in April said thorough investigations must be conducted to determine if there will be need for arrests.
“The issue is there are two counter cases registered. They registered a case and the police also registered a case. Investigations will be conducted and then it will be sent to the PG,” he said.
Ndjaronguru refused to comment when contacted yesterday.
Anti-LPM
In a press statement issued yesterday, LPM blasted the National Assembly, accusing it of running an anti-LPM agenda.
“There is an anti-LPM atmosphere currently prevailing at Parliament. Parliamentary staff believe that they are essentially working for Swapo and treat opposition party members of parliament with disdain. It is as if the opposition party members of parliament are enemy number one. This is manifested in the so-called parliamentary security personnel and their conduct,” it read.
Seibeb also refuted the findings of the Standing Committee of Privileges, which found them guilty of misconduct.
He said they questioned the disciplinary procedure used by the committee through their lawyers, a move which yielded no response from National Assembly Speaker Peter Katjavivi.
“We did not even call our witnesses and cross-examine them. The so-called findings by the committee are therefore purely by Swapo members and their cohorts. Not even the leader of the Popular Democratic Movement [McHenry Venaani] was included. This is also on record in Parliament,” he charged.
‘Deep-seated hatred’
According to Seibeb, National Assembly spokesperson David Nahangondja “unleashes his deep-seated hatred” against LPM members and allows his emotions to interfere with his job.
He said Nahangondja has become a “self- styled propagandist” of the Speaker of Parliament, adding that the work done by LPM is not recognised.
Seibeb claims their suspensions were “typical African village tin pot behaviour”, and said Katjavivi’s actions come from a place of “extreme bitterness”.
WINDHOEK
Having succeeded in the fight to prove that their suspensions were illegal, Landless People’s Movement (LPM) second-in-command Henny Seibeb now waits with bated breath to see whether he will be prosecuted for treason.
This after Prosecutor-General (PG) Martha Imalwa yesterday indicated that she is yet to determine if Seibeb will be prosecuted on a treason case opened by presidential bodyguard, commissioner Johan Ndjarunguru, in April.
“I sent it back for further investigations,” Imalwa told this publication in a telephonic interview.
Ndjaronguru dragged Seibeb and Bernadus Swartbooi before the law following the State of the Nation Address fracas that played out in Parliament in April, which saw parliamentary proceedings being halted due to the commotion in the chamber and led to the eventual suspension of the LPM leaders for their alleged “dishonourable” conduct.
At the time, the Namibian police said it committed the necessary resources to probe the high treason case.
Police chief Sebastian Ndeitunga in April said thorough investigations must be conducted to determine if there will be need for arrests.
“The issue is there are two counter cases registered. They registered a case and the police also registered a case. Investigations will be conducted and then it will be sent to the PG,” he said.
Ndjaronguru refused to comment when contacted yesterday.
Anti-LPM
In a press statement issued yesterday, LPM blasted the National Assembly, accusing it of running an anti-LPM agenda.
“There is an anti-LPM atmosphere currently prevailing at Parliament. Parliamentary staff believe that they are essentially working for Swapo and treat opposition party members of parliament with disdain. It is as if the opposition party members of parliament are enemy number one. This is manifested in the so-called parliamentary security personnel and their conduct,” it read.
Seibeb also refuted the findings of the Standing Committee of Privileges, which found them guilty of misconduct.
He said they questioned the disciplinary procedure used by the committee through their lawyers, a move which yielded no response from National Assembly Speaker Peter Katjavivi.
“We did not even call our witnesses and cross-examine them. The so-called findings by the committee are therefore purely by Swapo members and their cohorts. Not even the leader of the Popular Democratic Movement [McHenry Venaani] was included. This is also on record in Parliament,” he charged.
‘Deep-seated hatred’
According to Seibeb, National Assembly spokesperson David Nahangondja “unleashes his deep-seated hatred” against LPM members and allows his emotions to interfere with his job.
He said Nahangondja has become a “self- styled propagandist” of the Speaker of Parliament, adding that the work done by LPM is not recognised.
Seibeb claims their suspensions were “typical African village tin pot behaviour”, and said Katjavivi’s actions come from a place of “extreme bitterness”.
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