Bringing Africa South Vol.2 No.216 Friday November 16 'PANGAMAN' GUILTY judge dismisses plea of self-defence "I AM ready to serve my sentence". These were the words of Nehemia Tjaporokota Tjiho yesterday after being convicted in the High Court of what has been called the most gruesome murder in the history of Namibia. Tjiho was convicted of murdering told the court he had lived with Zatjirua his common-law wife, Oscarline for the past 13 years as her husband. Zatjirua, in Katutura on May 16 this On the night before the murder, Zatjirua DAVID LlJSH year by shooting her with a pistol and did not sleep at home and only came then hacking at her 28 times with a back the next morning at about 10h00. panga. A quarrel erupted when Tjiho asked A SMALL but significant break· Before giving judgement, Acting where she had been. Tjiho had a through has been 'made in the Chief Justice Johan Strydom told pistol in his hand which he said had struggle to secure better pay Tjiho he was guilty of a very serious been left in his car by a friend the and conditions for farmwork· crime. The accused pleaded not guilty previous night. ers. and told .the court he had acted in ! According to the accused, Zatjirua What is possibly the first eVer self-defence. was holding a panga and turned on employment contract in Namibia Giving judgement. Justice Strydom him. He fled to the bathroom, he negotiated between farm labourers dismissed Tjiho's claims of self­ said, but she forced open the door and their employer has ~en signed defence. Strydom referred to pic­ and attacked him. At that point, he after months of negotiations medi­ tures of the deceased's body which fired several shots to "defend my­ ated by the Legal Assistance Centre were presented in court as evidence self" . (LAC). and said the attack on Zatjirua had One bullet hit her in the stomach The signing - between labourers · ~en deliberate. .- but she continued the attack, Tjiho and management at Otjimokona farm The pictures revealed that the claimed..- They wrestled w!rll each TJAPOROKOTA Tjiho with' his pro deo adv9cate Harald Geier at Seeis, east of Windhoek -cOmes in deepest cut wounds were arming the other, ending up in the kitch~h where the wake of mounting national and neck and head, leaving the deceased he took hold of the panga and hacked (left) after being convicted of brutally murdering his common~law international pressure for the improve­ in no position to defend herself from at her several times. wife. ment and standardisation of pay and the attack, Justice Strydom said. Sentence was postponed until conditions for Namibia's grossly In conclusion Justice Strydom said . December after defence counsel exploited .farmworkers. Tjiho's use of dangerous weapons Harald Geier told the court he wished The LAC ho~s the "historic" indicated his intention to kill. to make a plea for exterruatiilg Circum­ contract signing will encourage other That intention was confirmed by stances and to wait for clinical tests farmers t() improve the lot of their the fact that he left the heavily wounded to be done. workers. "Daily we still learn of Zatjirua in the house and drove to Geier's application that Tjiho's bail cases of extreme exploitation", said Swakopmund. said Justice Strydom, ofR1 000 be extended pntil Decem­ LAC paralegal worker Clement who found Tjiho guilty as charged. ber l3 was dismissed by Justice Daniels, "where workers are paid Explaining his plea earlier, Tjiho Strydom. R20 per month and RIO rations. per week, while having to WOlk 12 hours per day. "This is totally unacceptable and Arms lOin court today the farmers should change their atti­ tudes in 'the light of the changing (political) conditions in Namibia. " JOSEF KLEYNHANS, one of the accused in the big right.wing Daniels said the LAC urged trade arms case, may reapply for bail because he apparently suffers ~ unions to rnake use of workers' new nervous disorder and is reportedly unhappy injail. constitutional right to unionise to Along with five other co-accused, Kleynhans' earlier application for bail negotiate a better deal for farm labour­ was turned down on October 9. The 10, nine incustody and one Qutonbail,have ers and their families. been charged on several counts, inCluding theft and high treason, following a "We also hope that the govern­ massive arms find by police in late August. ment will speed up the Labour Code Approached late last night; State prosecutor Danie Smal said he would so that things will be easier for farm­ oppose any applications for bail on the part of the nine. It was also learned from workers to organise themselves and unofficial sources that Robin Montgomery, one of the accused, also wants to to fight the often exploitative and lodge a bail application at today' s hearing, as well as the last two right-wingers oppressive conditions under which arrested after the arms haul, Uwe Tietz and Abraham De Klerkrespectively. STEFANUS Mbasuva (right), father ofthe·late Oscarline Zatjirua, Smal said the Prosecutor-General's [mal decision on the formulation of they suffer." pictured with Oscar Kazenango, her guardian. The two old men After seven months of drawn-out charges had been drawn UPI but it would only be available after today's negotiations, labourers and appearance. He added that if the Prosecutor-General decided to prosecute, the travelled from Okakarara to attend the hearing and told The ' cases would be referred to the High Court. The hearing is expected to last about Namibian they would also come to hear sentence passed on Decem· CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 15 days. ber 13. THE HOTEL WITH EVERYTHING presents a weekend with SLAM in Le Club on Friday 23 & Saturday 24 20.:30. till late Come and join the party Admission RIO. 4 **TYYY TEL 37293 CONTINENTAL HOTEL FAX 31539 2 ~ Friday November.• 16 1990 , THE .NAMIBIAN·, PUBLIC AUCTION OF 3 MAGNIFICANT PROPERTIES ON SATURDAY 24th NOVEMBER 1S' 10hOO - ERF 3963 (412 INDEPENDENCE AVENUE) This is one of the pemier properties left in Independence Avenue, and has full BUSINESS RIGHTS; the size of the Erf is 893m2 andlends itself toany kind of building, be it shops, offices, or canever;r be used to construct a small Embassy . building. We believe that itwill be years before a property of this calibre comes ontothte ~arket again. The Ert is flat with no' buildings thereon and building operations can begin immediately. " 2nd 11 hOO - ERF 2797 KW (30 STEIN STREET - KLEIN WINDHOEK) . This property is situated alongside the main shopping ar-ea of Klei n -I { Windhoek, and is a corner ert on Gobabis Road and Stein Street. i The size of the erf is 1385m2 so has ample place for development. At the moment there Is a small house on the premises which is in excellent state of repair, with edge to edge carpeting throughout, and is presently uased as offices by a professional group, who are prepared to give early occupation. With the future broadening of . CAMPAIGN organiser Karen Herrigel.with her soon-to-be adopted son John (right) and his friend Gobabis Road it can only improve the value of the porperty. Also Simeon. The bo~~oke Oshivambo to each other, Germ~ to Karen, and were fast picking up English. ideal for Embassy use. This property has it's own wall. 3,d 12hOO - ERF 189 KW (43 GOBABIS ROAD - KLEIN WINDHOEK) This property situated on Gobabis road between the bend in the Christmas cheer .for 2 river, is 2 742 m • The improvements thereon consist of a very old house with 6 rooms, plus kitchenand bathroom. There is also a samllf:jr two bedroomed house. The main house has a cellar of approximately 90m2 whilst behind is a workshop/warehouse/store 'leftover children' . 2 of approximately 160m . This was the porperty where thef irst brewery in Wndheok known as "Felschen Quell Brauerei" was THE recent campaign to bring " We even ' ran out' of little ones for the established, and has it's own borehole with 380 volt pump thereon. Christmas cheer to nearly a KA TE BURLING number of families th,!lt applied." there is alsoa gareg and a carport. hundred Namibian children has Names offamilies for whom nO'chil­ job;the response from the public was dren were available had been left with J proved a resounding success. overWhelming and heart-warming. "If Social Services so that any future prob­ AUCTIONEERS NOTES: Ali but nine of the children have we can now just find families for the lems with children returning from exile 1. Conditions of Auction will be read out at commencement of found families happy to give remaining nine homeless teenagers, it in Zambia could be dealt with in a Auction. Copies of these conditions are available on request, as them a proper Christmas holi· will be a perfect Christmas story." similar fashion, she said. well as any information required as to zoning rights etc day and to continue family con· Of those children still without Karen has herself taken two of the 2. TERMS OF PAYMENT: 10% deposit in Cash or Ban.k Guaran­ tact after the vacation is over. homes, two are girls aged between 14 children - one for the holiday period teed cheql,Je, on signing of Deed of Sale, balance against transfer. and 16, and seven are boys from 13 to and continued 'family contact' and one Only a month ago about 100 children 16 years old. for permanent adoption. She said al­ Early occupation of all prope'rties can be arranged.