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23 Jun

615 suicides recorded between January and April…Men topping the suicide rate

ObserverMain615 suicides recorded between January and April…Men topping the suicide rate

Hertta-Maria Amutenja At least 615 suicides were recorded by the Namibian police between January 20-22 and April 2023. Of these staggering statistics, 485 are adult men while 107 are adult women. The figures also indicate that 18 male juveniles and 5 female juveniles died by suicide during the same period. The Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo revealed in an exclusive interview with the Windhoek Observer that the Omusati Region has the highest recorded suicide rate with 121 cases while the //Karas region reported the lowest with eight suicides. The Ohangwena Region reported 94 cases, Khomas…

22 Jun

NUDO slams justice minister for submitting bills on short notice

ObserverMain

Martin Endjala The National Unity Democratic Organization (NUDO) Member of Parliament and Chief Whip, Josef Kauandenge has slammed Justice Minister Yvonne Dausab for reportedly bringing bills on short notice and expecting parliamentarians to “just rubber and stamp them in the name of urgency”. The MP argued that Parliament is an institution of state that must be respected by the Executive Branch which is the Cabinet. “In this regard, the Executive Branch should be reminded forthwith that the Namibian Constitution incorporates tripartite separation of governmental power as the basis of our political system,” he said. He was reacting to a bill…

21 Jun

Police Commissioner sues police chief after missing firearms search

ObserverMainPolice Commissioner sues police chief after missing firearms search

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Former Erongo Regional Police Commander, Commissioner Andreas Nelumbu is claiming Namibian Police officers and the Minster of Home Affairs tarnished his integrity, reputation and public image and violated his human rights when they searched his properties for missing firearms and ammunition last year. The matter stems from an incident where the police was investigating firearms that went missing from the central depot in Windhoek after an inspection at the facility in November 2021. It is alleged Nelumbu is the overall supervisor of the Directorate that houses Armory Units and had direct access to the facility where the…

20 Jun

Court dismisses Murder accused Americans’ acquital application

ObserverMainCourt dismisses Murder accused Americans’ acquital application

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Two American nationals who stand accused of murdering Namibian national, Andre Heckmair in Windhoek in 2011 suffered another blow in the High Court yesterday, after their application for a discharge in accordance with section 174 was dismissed. The two men wanted the charges against them withdran, citing the state did not acquire sufficient evidence against them, when it concluded it’s case. Judge Christie Liebenberg in his ruling yesterday said the state has made out a prima facie case against Marcus Thomas and Kevan Townsend to which they should answer. “The approach to circumstantial evidence is not to consider…

19 Jun

Swapo commands legislature to amend definition of “spouse”

ObserverMainSwapo commands legislature to amend definition of “spouse”

Stefanus Nashama The Swapo Party Central Committee has commanded the government to immediately take executive and legislature steps aimed at introducing a Namibian law defining the word ‘spouse’ in the Immoral Control Act, which definition will inevitably modify the common law principle applied by the Supreme Court. This follows a recent Supreme Court judgment recognizing same-sex marriages certified outside the country for purposes of Section 2(1)(c) of the Immoral Control Act, which was delivered on 16 May 2023. The Swapo Party on Saturday held a Central Committee meeting to address the matter of the Supreme Court judgment. According to the…

16 Jun

Verdict on Menzies Aviation application postponed to next month

ObserverMainVerdict on Menzies Aviation application postponed to next month

Martin Endjala The High Court has postponed the matter involving an urgent application by Menzies Aviation Namibia to stay on for another 30 days following the Supreme Court’s judgement issued last week Friday ordering the British company to vacate the Hosea Kutako International Airport premises with immediate effect. Presiding Judge, Shifimana Ueitele yesterday said that he will reserve his judgment and postponed the matter to the 4th of July 2023 stating that given that it is an urgent application, it creates uncertainty and one needs to dispose of it urgently. The judge said he still wants to hear arguments on…

15 Jun

Menzies lied in affidavit filed with the court …High Court ruling today

ObserverMainMenzies lied in affidavit filed with the court …High Court ruling today

Niël Terblanché In a desperate effort to avoid being evicted from the premises of the Hosea Kutako International Airport as ordered by the Supreme Court of Namibia, Menzies Aviation Namibia has resorted to lying under oath and providing false information in court documents filed at the High Court of Namibia in an urgent application heard earlier this week by Judge Shafimana Ueitele. In the said affidavit, Menzies Country Manager, Emil Smith claims that Anne Miller, the regional manager for SA Airlink provided information to the applicant with regard to the qualifications of Paragon staff members. Smith stated, “I have information…

14 Jun

Sharp hike in repo rate anticipated

ObserverMainSharp hike in repo rate anticipated, Theo Klein

Martin Endjala Experts in the economic sphere are anticipating the Bank of Namibia to hike the repo rate by 25 basis points or more for the fourth time this year because of the prevailing inflation rate. All eyes will be glued on the BoN headquarters in anticipation of when the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) pronounce itself on the fate of the repo rate in Namibia later today. Simonis Storm Economist Theo Klein is of the view that a 25-basis points hike looks very likely and would be the responsible thing to do given the current financial position of the average…

13 Jun

‘Arrest homosexuals’ – Shifeta

ObserverMain‘Arrest homosexuals’ - Shifeta

Stefanus Nashama A furious Pohamba Shifeta, Namibia’s Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, yesterday told the Windhoek Observer that sodomy is a crime and should not be tolerated in Namibia, calling for the arrest of anyone engaging in it. “Homosexuality is sodomy, and sodomy is a crime, and like any other criminal activity, it contradicts and violates the law of this country and the African cultures,” Shifeta said. He said that the Namibian Police should not sympathize with sodomy at all and should arrest those that have admitted publicly to having engaged in such sexual activities. “The Namibian Police should…

12 Jun

Victory for Paragon and the NAC in Supreme Court ruling

ObserverMainMenzies Aviation Namibia, NAC, Victory for Paragon and the NAC in Supreme Court ruling

Niël Terblanché A bench of three Supreme Court Judges dismissed an appeal by Menzies Aviation Namibia to continue providing ground handling services for the Namibia Airports Company at the Hosea Kutako International Airport with costs. This means that Menzies will have to cease its operations and vacate the premises of the NAC at Namibia’s main airport, paving the way for Paragon Aviation Services in a joint venture with Ethiopian Airlines to provide ground handling services at HKIA. In a seminal judgment handed down on Friday, the Supreme Court held that the rule of law demands that Menzies’ unlawful hold over…