10 juveniles detained with adult inmates in Ohangwena

Despite several calls that young offenders be kept separately from adults, the Ohangwena Region currently houses 10 juveniles at police holding cells. The Correctional Service Act 9 of 2012 requires that young offenders be kept separately. The instruction to separate underaged offenders from adults was given to gender equality, poverty eradication and child welfare minister Doreen Sioka in 2020, but seemingly to no avail.Namibian Sun has received complaints from concerned members of the public and subsequently established that by Friday, 24 June, 10 juveniles were behind bars in Ohangwena. Three are detained at the Ohangwena police holding cells, while seven others – five Namibians and two Angolan nationals – are locked up at Omungwelume. Two of the juvenile inmates at Omungwelume are just 15 years old, while two others are 16 and three are aged 17.According to the station commander, the juveniles committed serious crimes such as murder, rape, assault and breaking and entering. Two weeks ago, Namibian Sun asked for permission to visit the police holding cells, but according to police chief, inspector general Sebastian Ndeitunga, the request was unfavourable. Water under the bridgeIn December 2020, the Ombudsman approached the High Court to compel Sioka and other respondents – including Ndeitunga and the station commanders of 16 police stations – to separate all children in detention from adult detainees. Sioka told Namibian Sun on Wednesday that the issue between her and the former Ombudsman John Walters was water under the bridge. She added that she needed time to investigate the reports about juveniles still being detained with adults in Ohangwena. “I need to investigative. The issue of the Ombudsman is water under the bridge,” she said. Still investigatingOhangwena regional commander Elizabeth Sibolile on Monday denied that juveniles are kept in the same cells as adults. “Not everything they say is what is happening. Not Okongo. [At] Omungwelume, [juveniles] are detained alone,” she said. Meanwhile, gender ministry executive director Esther Lusepani said they needed more time to investigate the issue. This despite the fact that on 22 December 2020, the High Court ordered that detained children be separated from adults. Sioka at the time was ordered to deliver - under oath - a plan and programme she would implement to ensure that places of safety and child detention centres are established.Lusepani told Namibian Sun they are working around the clock to get to the bottom of the allegations, but over 48 hours later could still did not provide a concrete answer on why juveniles are detained with adults in the region. Namibian Sun later also learnt that juveniles are kept in other police holding cells across the country, but could not establish the numbers per region. – tuyeimo@namibiansun.com

10 juveniles detained with adult inmates in Ohangwena

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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10 juveniles detained with adult inmates in Ohangwena

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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