Force Oshakati Court to 'Close Down'

* TODAY: -PICKET-BUSTING' COPS RE-INSTATED * GOVT'ACCUSED OF'DRAGGING FEE'f OVER' PROBE" .• ~, , Bringing Africa South Vol.2 No.599 R1.00 (GST Inc.) Wednesday July 1 1992 e ., .~ . j rlsoners .revo I I Force Oshakati court to 'close down' OSWALD SHIVUTE AT OSHAKATI PRISONERS awaiting trial at Oshakati have revolted over what they describe as the "injustice" of the justice system and have forced the Magistrates Court to grind to a halt by refusing to appear in court. Angry prisoners are de OWl!ffibo and Kaoko Re manding "a speedy and fair gions, Josef Ekandjo, yes hearing" and that Senior terday confirmed that a large Prosecutor Henock Hain number of the 212 prison dobo be removed ers at the Oshakati Prison They claim that Haindobo had "completely refused" to is unnecessarily postponing appear in the Oshakati and cases. is discriminatory when Ondangwa Magistrate courts it comes to granting bail since Monday. and that their cases are not The. prisoners ' main heard "properly". complaint is that Haindobo Prisoners have said they unnecessarily postpones will not go to court until cases, even when minor Haindobo is removed • charges are involved. As a According to some result they have to sit in jail sources, the prisoners are so and often lose their jobs as a angry that even the police result. _ A RARE SIGHT ... Yesterday, the last day of the first half of the year, the moon passed in front of the sun. In have decided not to visit They also charge that the Namibia this caused a 65 per cent eclipse of the sun and was captured on film by The Namibian's Henry van Rooi them in their cells until they Senior Prosecutor does not at around 15h20, At 15h07, 530km southwest of Cape Town in South Africa, there was a total eclipse of the sun, have "cooled off'. understand the prisoners' as there was in eastern Uruguay, where about 25 000 people from Europe, the USA and South America gathered The Namibian Police's to view the rare sight. Chief Inspector of the Continued on page 2 ",Jlelay in, Govt probe 'Picket-smashing' . taking its toll ... .COpS re-instated MBATJIUA NGAVIRUE But Prosecutor-General will have final say TIffi civil servants who were THE FOUR senior police ERICHBOOIS courts and the officers could suspended by the Govern officers, suspended earlier be be held criminally liable. ment in mid-April for al this year after a public under the police act had been ' The four officers were leged misconduct have , outcry over the controver- withdrawn against the four suspended on March 20 this expressed anger at the slow sial treatment of demon officers and the report sent . year following a demonstra promss being made with strators at Namibia Brew toProsecutor-GeneralHans tion in front of the premises the in~estigation into their eries, have been re-in Heyman, who will have the ofNamibia Breweries in the cases. stated. final say on the matter. Northern Industrial area on One:of the 11, who wished General Martin Pool of Approached for comment, March 3. to' remain anonymous for the Namibian Police's liai Heyman confirmed he had Demonstrators were obvious reasons, said many son department yesterday received the file and was beaten with sjamboks ·be of them felt wctreme frus confirmed that the suspen looking into the matter. He fore they were arrested tration with the slow pace sion had been lifted by In said he had not reached a 1be incident was televised of the investigation and had spector-General Piet FoucM final decision yet and added on the NBe and the violent become very depressed with effect from yesterday. that the issue was very sen scenes sparked a public "We want the law to take However, Pool said, the sitive. outrcy over the manner in its course, but we also have decision remained subject If there were signs that which the demonstrators our constitutional rights, and to a final verdict by the the police act or code of were treated. we either want a ruling made Prosecutor-General. conduct had been tran At the time the President ./ Pool 'said the investiga gressed. the case would have ~oDtinued on page 2 tion of charges of negligence to be heard in the regular , Continued on page 2 ' ;;'<:.; 2 Wednesday JulY 1 ..:1 992 THE NAMIBIAN Housing for not more than what you earn!! DoradoPark Barcelona I Windhoek Wes Olympia f SOLE AGENT SOUl" [lfY,,11ON .... _ '* R77.500 • R130.000 1 Bedroom ,2 Bedroom '* 'R98.00 • R137.500 2 Bedrooms 3 Bedrooms R125.000 (Small) has approached an investi '* gating officer to fmd out what 3 Bedrooms '* R145.000 progress was being made, the TeI34177(w) 3 Bedrooms investigating officer told him 221252 (b) (Big) , he was to busy with other as well as the Cabinet con against us within reasonable things and did not know when demned the excessive use time or for the charges against the investigation would start. of violence by Task Force us to be dismissed. "They said the investiga members. "This is putting unneces tion would be completed Four police officers were sary pressure on us, and al within a reasonable time, but suspended-pending the out though people say we are still what is a reasonable time? come of an investigation on being paid that is not really We feel they have had more negligence under the police the issue. than enough time," he said, act. ''We have been accused and Even at time the investiga Home Affairs Minister the public has labelled us, and tions were announced many people predicted that they Hifikepunye Pohamba now we want our names cleared," one of them said. would drag on forever, like promised that the four would The investigation is believed many other similar Govern be given a fair hearing under to have already claimed one ment inquiries. under the police act and be victim in former Chief of There is clearly a feeling reinstated if found innocent. Agricult\lre in the Ministry of among the suspended officials The four officers are the Agriculture, Water and Rural that they have been treated assistant to Inspector-Gen Development, Lutz Matth unjustly, particularly since the eral Fouche, General 'Fof iessen, who committed sui Governtrent made their names fie' BadenhorSt; Chief of cide. public before their guilt had Special Operations, Gert While there is no direct evi been established. Naude; District Commis dence to link Mattliiessen's Furthermore, while they sioner of Windhoek," Dep suicide to his suspension, many were suspended, others such 4th Anniversary of Natau -, uty Commissioner Martin believe that that he took his permanent secretary of Agri Bronkhorst; and Windhoek life because the charges made culture Vilho Nghipondoka, Station Commander, Chief against him' brought about who has also been accused of The next Natau (National Executive Inspector Gert du Toit. severe depression. misconduct, is apparently still The suspension of the 11 in his post. officials was announced' on There is also a reeling among Committee) meeting is on the - April 15 and after almost two their sympathisers, that the , Nanl'p.ol .net and-a-half months very little 11 officials were made scape gems, dagga progress appears to have been goats for those really guilty 4th and 5th of July 1992 made with the inquiry. of corruption or stealing state When the civil servants were property. A MAN has been arrested initially suspended, they were In many cases, such as that in Oshakati for being in instructed to submit written of theJate Matthiessen, their possession of 13 diamonds, , defences to the charges made only crime seems to have Venue: NUNW National Centre. value unknown, the N amib against them, which all of them been affixing their signature ian Police reported yester did. to a document. day. Then in early May, perma It was impossible to fmd No further details were nent secretary in the Prime out from Damaseb when the members to available. Minister's Office Petrus investigation of the 11 civil All associate are invited In Windhoek, the police Damaseb announced that in servants is expected to be com reported two cases of ille vestigating officers would be pleted as he is currently tour attend the opening ceremony gal dealing in dagga with an appointed to look into the case ing outlying areas of the coun- estimated value ofR6 106. of each civil servant. try. ' Time: 09hOO(a.m.) Two cases of cheque fraud According to one of the Under-secretary in the Prime involving RI 594 were also suspended officials, however, Minister's Office Jaap Smit, reported in the capital. these investigating officers , who is dealing directly with Forfurther information' contact have done virtually {lothing the matter, was also not avail since they were appointed. able for comment. W Matsi at 216153 He said that every time he is granted to white prisoners as "a matter of course". 1l:!ey cited Namib Paper & Plastic Recycling (Pty) Lld an exampl~ of two whites, Oanzig Strasse, Lafrens Industrial reportedly arrested on April 22 this year and granted bail problems and feel unnecessar the next day. Gratis Verwydering van Karton, Papier& Plastiek ily heavy sentences are given According to The Namib Maandag tot Vrydag van 7vm tot 6 nm for minor offenses. ian's sources, the Oshakati Prisoners are reportedly also Prison is overcrowded and Saterdag tot Sondag van 8vm tot Snm unhappy that the majority of contributes to the unsatisfac them are continuously refused tory situation among the pris Tel: 62611/62643 bail and often have to kick oners. their heels in' prison cells for An urgent meeting was held three months or more.

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