Damaseb Concerned About Violence

I WISH to acknowledge receipt of an ‘Open Letter of Concern’ following a demonstration against violence and meeting out of stiffer sentences, held at the High Court on Friday, September 15 2006.

Violence against women and children remains a grave concern to all of society – and the Courts are no exception. When the perpetrators are arrested and brought before court, the Courts of our land seek to mete out justice, both to the accused and the victim, according to the dictates of the law and based on the circumstances of a case.Whether or not a Court has, in the particular circumstances of a case, got the balance right, will never be always universally accepted.The views of the citizenry, genuinely held and responsibly aired are always useful to the Courts.I accordingly thank you for your Open Letter and can assure you that I will share its contents with my colleagues on the High Court bench.Petrus T.Damaseb Judge PresidentWhen the perpetrators are arrested and brought before court, the Courts of our land seek to mete out justice, both to the accused and the victim, according to the dictates of the law and based on the circumstances of a case.Whether or not a Court has, in the particular circumstances of a case, got the balance right, will never be always universally accepted.The views of the citizenry, genuinely held and responsibly aired are always useful to the Courts.I accordingly thank you for your Open Letter and can assure you that I will share its contents with my colleagues on the High Court bench.Petrus T.Damaseb Judge President