By: Eba Kandovazu and Julia Heita
The formal bail application of Michael Amushelelo and Dimbulukweni Nauyoma will continue tomorrow morning at 9 am before Magistrate Masule Kwizi, with Amushelelo taking the stand.
Today, Amushelelo said he has a six-year-old daughter that depends on him. He is set to continue with his mitigating factors tomorrow.
The state is objecting to granting bail to Amushelelo and Nauyoma for fear of interference with state witnesses and because “it would not be in the interest of the public or the administration of justice.” The state also argued that investigations are still at an early stage.
Nauyoma and Amushelelo were arrested in connection with the shutting down of China Town last week, following the Namibia Revenue Agency’s (Namra) decision to burn N$ 5 million worth of counterfeit goods.
Amushelelo on Thursday went to China Town in Windhoek, demanding that the Chinese nationals close their shops as they too are selling fake items. The following morning, he handed himself over to the Windhoek police station. He demanded that he be handcuffed after Police Chief Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga said Amushelelo should hand himself over to the police for inciting violence and threatening.
Ndeitunga, in an interview with Eagle FM, said the shop owners opened cases against Amushelelo. That same Friday, Dimbulukweni Nauyoma and others went to China Town to demand the shops’ closure. They also protested for the release of Amushelelo, leading to police reserve officials using tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) president Epafrass Mukwiilongo was among those arrested on Friday. According to him, he was shot five times with rubber bullets. He also claims the police targeted him because he is a politician.
“I did not even enter China Town. I was outside with journalists, and they arrested me,” he said.
According to him, a police officer said to him, “Do you think you will overrule Swapo or what”?.
He said he reported this to deputy police chief Joseph Shikongo. Amushelelo’s wife, Julieta, was also among those arrested.
Now known as the “China Town 8”, the arrested persons are Amushelelo, Nauyoma, Epafrass Mukwiilongo, Laurence Mwatile, Emily Mununga Annacky Amupanda, Risto Ithikwa and Julieta Amushelelo. All of them, except for Nauyoma and Amushelelo, were released from police custody on a warning.
Magistrate Venatius Alweendo has since postponed the matter to 5 July for further investigations.
Amushelelo indicated that he would plead not guilty to the charges. Defence lawyers Kadhila Amoomo and Nambili Mhata represent the accused.
At a press briefing in South Africa on Monday, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema said the party condemns the arrests.
“We condemn the arrest of EFF parliamentarian and activists who are militantly fighting against the corrupt government of Swapo. We demand the release of all those arrested and caution the Namibian government that we will not allow the harassment of EFF leaders,” Malema said.
Meanwhile, PDM leader McHenry Venaani was also in attendance to show “solidarity”. He told journalists that the prime minister, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, should call a meeting to discuss the Namra issue.
He says the issue can be solved in a meaningful dialogue between political parties.
Affirmative Repositioning Movement leader Job Amupanda, who was in attendance after reportedly landing in the country that morning, said, “unemployment has been on the rise, so people are going to get fed up.”
In the meantime, Namra Commissioner Sam Shivute told The Villager on Monday that the public’s anger is misguided. He added that the public is not properly informed about the burning of N$5 million counterfeit goods. According to him, those misleading the public are doing so to score cheap political points and that Namra is carrying out its mandate.
“I just cannot reveal the names as it would be unprofessional,” he added.
He said most goods that the revenue agency burned were not from Namibians.
According to him, Namra has been doing awareness campaigns to educate the public on counterfeit goods.
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