By: Justicia Shipena

Businessman and owner of Tulaing Group pty Ltd Josef Andreas is suingOtjozondjupa governor James Uerikuafor defamation of character for N$500 000.
This has come as Andreas claims that Uerikua had made false, defamatory statements on 27 November 2021 at Peace Garden Lodge near Grootfontein.
Andreas claims that Uerikuamade comments on him regarding involvement in the Swapo party in the region.
According to Andreas, Uerikua has been making for a while; however, last month at a youth league event in Grootfontein, he uttered them further.
“The youth league came to my place, and I hosted them. He told everyone not to come, including the local councillors of Grootfontein, citing that I am capturing the system. He then made those remarks to the coordinator while the youth league meeting was ongoing,” said Andreas.
Andreas added that by making the allegations against him, he said Uerikua has been taking materials and money from him during the campaign.
“What I was doing is what I have been doing. Ever since 2010 have been donating materials and money to Swapo whenever I can, and I never captured any of the Swapo organs like what he is claiming. Those allegations are very serious,” he said.
Andreas added that the allegations against him are unfound.
“I got no interest whatsoever in what the government does, and I only support Swapo, but I don’t participate in procurement processes of the party,” he said.
Andreas further said they are still assessing whether his utterances will amount to some losses to his businesses.
“The whole process will start, and we have registered a case at the High Court. We wrote him a letter to apologize, which he said he wouldn’t because apparently, we will resolve the matter, which we haven’t. He refused to apologize. So, we are now taking legal action.”
In a letter to Uerikua from Andreas via his legal representation, Henry Shimutwikeni &CO INC, it states that the governor had said that Andreas has the entire district executive committee of Swapo in Grootfontein district on his payroll.
“You made the comments that our client has the regional coordinator of Otjozondjupa region on his payroll and that certain leaders of Swapo party are business partners of our client,” the letter reads.
The letter also indicates that Uerikua has said that Andreas has an insincere interest in the processes of Swapo in the region, which are aimed at influencing the processes of the municipal council of Grootfontein for the benefit of Andreas’ businesses.
Additionally, the letter states that Uerikua confirmed to Andreas of having made those comments via telephonically means upon confrontation by Andreas.
Furthermore, it states that the management committee chairperson was approached and assisted by Andreas with funding for personal matters in January this year.
“Whereas our client assisted the mayor assisted the major regional and local authority elections of 2019.”
In this vein, Andreas claimed that the defamatory comments compromise his dignity and portray him as being dishonourable and unprincipled.
Thus, Andreas and his legal team had thus instructed the governor to retract his comments and issue an apology.
“In the event that you fail to adhere to aforesaid demand, we hold instructions to immediately institute legal proceedings against you in the High Court and seek you to be ordered to pay an amount of N$500 000 in damages.”
The Villager reached out to Uerikua, whose phone was answered by his assistant, Elvis Muraranganda, who said there are purely politically motivated allegations.
“We never received any papers of some sort from the lawyer or whoever regarding this issue,” said Muraranganda.
Muraranganda added that their legal team is prepared to tackle the issue.
“They are ready to defend it in court,” he stressed.
The matter continues in court.