The five pleaded not guilty at the start of proceedings.

Two of the Police officers questioned failed to provide sufficient evidence that MacGoddins Lushimba, Souleyman Kabwe, Alex Kasans, Eliya Luboya and Shungu Abubakar caused violence and resisted arrest on June 21 2004.

The men burst through a crowd during a speech by Namibia's Commissioner for Refugees, Elizabeth Negumbo, to protest against Government and the United Nations.

The five are all nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo and belong to the Association for the Defence of Refugee Rights (ADR).

Many ADR members claim that they have deliberately not been awarded refugee status in Namibia despite being in the country for five years or more.

This affects their rights to travel in the country and to leave the Osire Refugee camp near Otjiwarongo.

The men vented their frustrations at the commemorations held at the camp.

Initially six asylum seekers were arrested for protesting, but one has since left Namibia.

Local News Headlines Of The Last 48 Hours

•  'DRC refugee' arrested at airport
•  Keetmanshoop grapples with debt, at odds with Receiver
•  Namibia plagued by gender-based violence
•  'Struggle Kids' are happy campers
•  Teachers 'plot to kill' principal
•  Zero tolerance for road hogs
•  Nujoma Foundation raises N$300 000 at gala dinner
•  Young man sent to jail for killing older brother
•  Three die in lorry crash
•  Henties Bay 'in a mess'
•  High Court upholds labour-hire ban
•  Oshakati nervously eyes the sky
•  Shamil Dirk's graft case postponed again
•  ACC nabs Otavi Village Council CEO
•  Justice driver accused of looting
•  Job equity has improved
•  Ombudsman complains about Justice Ministry
•  New plan for Cuvelai Basin
•  APP postpones congress
•  Zim to ignore tribunal ruling
•  Immigration locks up SA journalist
•  Youth gets four years for rape
•  Swapo closes ranks