Flurry of F-words lands suspect in jail

A FURIOUS flood of f-word curses in the Otavi Magistrate’s Court left a stock theft suspect with an 18-month prison term hangover this week.

The curses were directed at Magistrate Andre le Roux on Wednesday, when he presided at the first court appearance of Hans Gamgabeb, a 20-year-old resident of the Blikkiesdorp section of Otavi, and Festus Tsam (26), also of Otavi, following their arrest on a charge of stock theft last Thursday. After the duo had told the Magistrate that they did not want legal representation, and that they were denying the charge that they had stolen two goats on January 15, their case was postponed for their trial to take place.Magistrate Le Roux granted each of them bail of N$500.But Gamgabeb was not satisfied.”Give me free bail.Come on, give me free bail,” he said.Then he talked himself into hot water, telling the Magistrate: “F*** you if you don’t”.The Magistrate warned him to step down from the dock, the case record states.”F*** you!,” Gamgabeb responded.With that, he was convicted – on the spot – of contempt of court.He was also slapped with a six-month prison sentence.That did not seem to go down well with Gamgabeb.”F*** you, man, f*** you!,” he told the Magistrate.Magistrate Le Roux warned him to stop his behaviour, the case record states.”F*** you, man, f*** off,” was Gamgabeb’s next response, and with that he got himself his second conviction for contempt of court on the same day.According to the case record, the Magistrate next explained his right to address the court in mitigation of sentence to Gamgabeb.”F*** off,” was the young man’s response, again, and with that, he notched up a third conviction for contempt of court.For each of the second and third convictions Magistrate Le Roux handed Gamgabeb another six-month jail term.Gamgabeb, at last silenced by this turn of events, left the court with a combined sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment.By the time he returns to court for his trial on March 24, he will still have 16 months of jail time, earned with Wednesday’s quick, angry outburst, ahead of him.By then he might have figured out that, unlike a Magistrate who got away with telling protesters against violence against women to “f*** off” from the Rehoboth Magistrate’s Court a few years ago, an accused person doing the same to a Magistrate’s face cannot expect to get off so lightly.After the duo had told the Magistrate that they did not want legal representation, and that they were denying the charge that they had stolen two goats on January 15, their case was postponed for their trial to take place. Magistrate Le Roux granted each of them bail of N$500. But Gamgabeb was not satisfied. “Give me free bail. Come on, give me free bail,” he said. Then he talked himself into hot water, telling the Magistrate: “F*** you if you don’t”. The Magistrate warned him to step down from the dock, the case record states. “F*** you!,” Gamgabeb responded. With that, he was convicted – on the spot – of contempt of court. He was also slapped with a six-month prison sentence. That did not seem to go down well with Gamgabeb. “F*** you, man, f*** you!,” he told the Magistrate. Magistrate Le Roux warned him to stop his behaviour, the case record states. “F*** you, man, f*** off,” was Gamgabeb’s next response, and with that he got himself his second conviction for contempt of court on the same day. According to the case record, the Magistrate next explained his right to address the court in mitigation of sentence to Gamgabeb. “F*** off,” was the young man’s response, again, and with that, he notched up a third conviction for contempt of court. For each of the second and third convictions Magistrate Le Roux handed Gamgabeb another six-month jail term. Gamgabeb, at last silenced by this turn of events, left the court with a combined sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment. By the time he returns to court for his trial on March 24, he will still have 16 months of jail time, earned with Wednesday’s quick, angry outburst, ahead of him. By then he might have figured out that, unlike a Magistrate who got away with telling protesters against violence against women to “f*** off” from the Rehoboth Magistrate’s Court a few years ago, an accused person doing the same to a Magistrate’s face cannot expect to get off so lightly.