Tsumeb protest disrupts court proceedings
CATHERINE SASMAN
More than 100 angry protesters at Tsumeb nearly brought the magistrate’s court’s proceedings to a standstill yesterday when they descended on the court demanding that murder-accused police officer Chief Inspector Bernhard Nghuulivali not be granted bail.
Witnesses at the court said the rowdy crowd forced the court to halt all proceedings while police officers attempted to control and calm down the crowd.
Nghuulivali, accused of having shot and killed 15-year-old Hendrik Eiseb in February, made a brief appearance before Magistrate Rubin Mutuku and the case was postponed until 30 July for further investigation.
“Yes, we are very angry,” said one of the protesters, Sharon Arabes, about yesterday’s disruption at the court. “We want to know why Nghuulivali was given bail.”
She said the protesters were waylaid from the court to another office of the Ministry of Justice and when they returned Nghuulivali’s hearing was done.
The protesters then moved on to the local prison where they demanded that all awaiting-trial prisoners be freed since Nghuulivali had been “allowed to walk free”.
Nghuulivali is still on duty while an internal disciplinary process has been delayed.
The protesters had demonstrated in front of the police station on Tuesday where they demanded a fair trial in the Nghuulivali case and called for a magistrate from outside Tsumeb to preside over the matter.
They repeated these demands during yesterday’s protest action at the court.
More than 100 angry protesters at Tsumeb nearly brought the magistrate’s court’s proceedings to a standstill yesterday when they descended on the court demanding that murder-accused police officer Chief Inspector Bernhard Nghuulivali not be granted bail.
Witnesses at the court said the rowdy crowd forced the court to halt all proceedings while police officers attempted to control and calm down the crowd.
Nghuulivali, accused of having shot and killed 15-year-old Hendrik Eiseb in February, made a brief appearance before Magistrate Rubin Mutuku and the case was postponed until 30 July for further investigation.
“Yes, we are very angry,” said one of the protesters, Sharon Arabes, about yesterday’s disruption at the court. “We want to know why Nghuulivali was given bail.”
She said the protesters were waylaid from the court to another office of the Ministry of Justice and when they returned Nghuulivali’s hearing was done.
The protesters then moved on to the local prison where they demanded that all awaiting-trial prisoners be freed since Nghuulivali had been “allowed to walk free”.
Nghuulivali is still on duty while an internal disciplinary process has been delayed.
The protesters had demonstrated in front of the police station on Tuesday where they demanded a fair trial in the Nghuulivali case and called for a magistrate from outside Tsumeb to preside over the matter.
They repeated these demands during yesterday’s protest action at the court.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article