ARRESTED activist Dimbulukeni Nauyoma is because of hear firstly of subsequent week whether or not he might be granted bail after almost two weeks in police custody.
Making use of for bail within the Windhoek Justice of the Peace’s Court docket in Katutura yesterday, Nauyoma (30) denied that he acted violently, incited violence, or was collaborating in a prohibited public demonstration earlier than his arrest on 21 March.
He additionally stated he and a gaggle of people that had gathered in Katutura for a deliberate public demonstration about Namibia’s excessive unemployment price had been merely strolling residence collectively – whereas carrying placards made for his or her demonstration and singing songs to maintain their spirits up – when he, fellow activist Michael Amushelelo and In style Democratic Motion parliamentarian Inna Hengari had been arrested by the police.
Nauyoma, Amushelelo and Hengari have been charged with counts of public violence, incitement to public violence and malicious harm to property, with the state alleging that they “marched concerning the streets and created a riot”, defied lawful directions from the police, and broken a police automobile with stones on 21 March.
Nauyoma and Amushelelo are additionally charged with a depend of contempt of courtroom, with the state alleging that they violated orders made by the Walvis Bay Justice of the Peace’s Court docket on 30 January and the Windhoek Justice of the Peace’s Court docket on 22 February, when Amushelelo was launched on bail following earlier arrests in reference to public demonstrations wherein he was concerned.
Amushelelo was granted bail on these events given that he mustn’t once more be charged with comparable offences involving alleged public violence.
Hengari was launched on bail in an quantity of N$5 000 on Friday final week. She was granted bail given that she might not participate in any unlawful demonstrations after being launched. Amushelelo stays in custody, after his lawyer, Kadhila Amoomo, knowledgeable Justice of the Peace Olivia van der Colff yesterday that he wouldn’t be continuing with an software to be launched on bail at this stage.
Nauyoma instructed the Justice of the Peace that, after an pressing software to get a courtroom order permitting the deliberate demonstration to proceed was dismissed early within the morning of 21 March, he went to the Katutura Youth Advanced, the place individuals within the deliberate protest had gathered, to tell them of the courtroom’s choice.
He stated he was about to handle the individuals who had gathered when cops arrived and he was knowledgeable that their gathering was unlawful and the individuals ought to disperse.
This was after police inspector common Joseph Shikongo knowledgeable organisers of the demonstration in a letter on 17 March that they need to postpone their deliberate protest, because it mustn’t happen on Independence Day. Shikongo acknowledged that this was as a result of, contemplating “nationwide safety pursuits”, he had purpose to consider the deliberate demonstration “might trigger emotions of hostility between totally different sections of the inhabitants”.
Nauyoma stated he adopted the police’s directions and instructed the individuals who had gathered that they need to disperse.
“I have no idea why I used to be arrested. We had been simply complying, peacefully going residence,” he stated. He continued: “We had been very a lot peaceable and simply strolling residence, as requested.”
Nauyoma additionally stated he was not conscious of a police automobile being broken when stones had been thrown at it.
Van der Colff stated she would ship her ruling on his bail software on Monday subsequent week.
Public prosecutor Tatelo Lusepani, representing the state, opposed Nauyoma’s request to be granted bail. He argued that Nauyoma has had earlier brushes with the regulation, which exhibits he tends to commit comparable offences, and that he’s not candidate for bail.
Nauyoma is being represented by defence lawyer Milton Engelbrecht, instructed by Amoomo.
Supply: namibian
