Claims of Police brutality at Rundu investigated

NEW charges of Police brutality have been levelled against the Namibian Police’s Special Field Force (SFF) unit, this time against three officers from a village near Rundu.

Police spokesperson Chief Inspector Angula Amulungu confirmed yesterday that allegations submitted by the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) recently have been forwarded to the Police’s Complaints and Discipline Division for scrutiny. Edward Ruwaro (22) claims that three SFF members arrested him and two friends early last year at the village Mupapama, 55 km east of Rundu.Ruwaro alleges that he and his friends were arrested without warrants and tortured, while two of them were locked up.Of the two who were locked up, one allegedly died in Police custody, while the other was acquitted of the charges against him more than a year later.On January 25 2006, it is alleged, three officers – whose names are known – allegedly arrested Ruwaro and his two friends, John Masiyange and Andreas Muhepa.One of the officers is alleged to have accused the three of stealing N$600 from him, and of assaulting him at a school hostel earlier.”Although we denied their accusations (two of the officers) started to assault us with sjamboks at around 08h00 while we were handcuffed,” the NSHR quoted Ruwaro as saying.After a while, the officers apparently stopped beating them and left, only to return at midday to continue the assault.”They returned at 13h00 and continued beating us with sjamboks by using the thin part and thick part of the sjamboks.They also kicked us with their boots all over our bodies,” Ruwaro claimed.The men were then given two options, according to Ruwaro.They could either accept another 50 lashings with the sjamboks and be released, or they could be taken into Rundu and be formally charged and locked up.”I and the late Muhepa refused to be tortured any further.However, Masiyange accepted to be beaten 50 times with sjamboks after which he was released,” Ruwaro said.He said he and Muhepa were taken to the Rundu Police station and formally charged a day later.They had to be taken to the Rundu State Hospital for treatment, he said.The case against them was postponed several times between January 27 last year and March 12 this year, when Ruwaro was acquitted.His friend Muhepe had died in custody on November 25, he claimed.Ruwaro believes that Police brutality caused his friend’s death.”He (Muhepe) told me that although he was seriously sick, he was rarely taken to a hospital.At first, Muhepa was sleeping in the corridor of the Police cells.But later they transferred him to cell 4, where he passed away,” Ruwaro said.NSHR Executive Director Phil ya Nangoloh called on the Police’s Inspector General, Sebastian Ndeitunga, to ensure that appropriate steps are taken against the officers named in the allegations.”We highly appreciate and value the fact that the honourable Inspector General of NamPol …and most of his top brass are totally against human rights abuses and other criminal acts by subordinate Police officers.However, we are also disturbed by the fact that the instructions of the Inspector General relating to appropriate Police conduct are simply not reaching the rank and file officers on the ground,” Ya Nangoloh said.Edward Ruwaro (22) claims that three SFF members arrested him and two friends early last year at the village Mupapama, 55 km east of Rundu.Ruwaro alleges that he and his friends were arrested without warrants and tortured, while two of them were locked up.Of the two who were locked up, one allegedly died in Police custody, while the other was acquitted of the charges against him more than a year later.On January 25 2006, it is alleged, three officers – whose names are known – allegedly arrested Ruwaro and his two friends, John Masiyange and Andreas Muhepa.One of the officers is alleged to have accused the three of stealing N$600 from him, and of assaulting him at a school hostel earlier.”Although we denied their accusations (two of the officers) started to assault us with sjamboks at around 08h00 while we were handcuffed,” the NSHR quoted Ruwaro as saying.After a while, the officers apparently stopped beating them and left, only to return at midday to continue the assault. “They returned at 13h00 and continued beating us with sjamboks by using the thin part and thick part of the sjamboks.They also kicked us with their boots all over our bodies,” Ruwaro claimed.The men were then given two options, according to Ruwaro.They could either accept another 50 lashings with the sjamboks and be released, or they could be taken into Rundu and be formally charged and locked up.”I and the late Muhepa refused to be tortured any further.However, Masiyange accepted to be beaten 50 times with sjamboks after which he was released,” Ruwaro said.He said he and Muhepa were taken to the Rundu Police station and formally charged a day later.They had to be taken to the Rundu State Hospital for treatment, he said.The case against them was postponed several times between January 27 last year and March 12 this year, when Ruwaro was acquitted.His friend Muhepe had died in custody on November 25, he claimed.Ruwaro believes that Police brutality caused his friend’s death.”He (Muhepe) told me that although he was seriously sick, he was rarely taken to a hospital.At first, Muhepa was sleeping in the corridor of the Police cells.But later they transferred him to cell 4, where he passed away,” Ruwaro said.NSHR Executive Director Phil ya Nangoloh called on the Police’s Inspector General, Sebastian Ndeitunga, to ensure that appropriate steps are taken against the officers named in the allegations.”We highly appreciate and value the fact that the honourable Inspector General of NamPol …and most of his top brass are totally against human rights abuses and other criminal acts by subordinate Police officers.However, we are also disturbed by the fact that the instructions of the Inspector General relating to appropriate Police conduct are simply not reaching the rank and file officers on the ground,” Ya Nangoloh said.