Eba Kandovazu
DEPUTY Finance Minister, Maureen Hinda, is suing Affirmative Repositioning (AR) activist and leader, Job Amupanda, to the tune of N$1 million.
She says Amupanda last July posted a picture of an unknown woman saying it was Hinda during the liberation struggle. In court documents, Hinda says the picture implies that because she is Damara she will not hesitate to stab anyone. She says Amupanda refuses to apologise or remove the social media post. Hinda, who is of Otjiherero descent is also fluent in Damara/Nama. A mediation session is scheduled to take place on 3 February.
The initial post on Amupanda’s social media read: “Deputy Minister of Finance, Maureen Hinda, during the Liberation Struggle. Maureen was soo WizWiz. It’s like she won’t think twice about taking a knife out.”
The current post reads “It LOOKS like Deputy Minister of Finance Maureen Hinda during the Liberation Struggle. Maureen was soo WizWiz. It’s like she won’t think twice about taking a knife out”.
Amupanda does not respond to questions when contacted for comment. Hinda refuses to comment, saying it would jeopardize the lawsuit.
Hinda, however, claims in court documents that the post was made with the intention to defame her, and that it was made to look like she was a street girl in her youthful days, ready to fight at a moment’s notice. She also claims that the post implies that she has no integrity and is a violent person capable of causing anyone bodily harm.
Hinda further claims that the post suggests that she is an uncouth woman that was of loose moral values during the liberation struggle, that she was not a law abiding citizen or that she is capable of being trusted with public office as she was violent and capable of causing bodily harm to someone.
“As a result of the defamation, the plaintiff has been damaged in her reputation and has suffered damages in the amount of N$ 800 000,”Hinda’s lawyers says demanding N$ 1 000 000.
She is represented by Anne-Doris Kaumbi, while Amupanda is represented by Hilya Ndilula. He is yet to file his affidavits. The matter will be heard by Judge Harald Geier.
