Govt weighs life imprisonment for violent crimes

JUSTICE Minister Albert Kawana yesterday ruled out re-introducing the death penalty for violent crime in Namibia but said Government was looking at stiffer sentences to protect its citizens.

Responding to a call by Monitor Action Group’s Kosie Pretorius in the National Assembly yesterday, Kawana said that legislation would be introduced before the end of the year to introduce life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Another measure to clamp down on the rate of violent crime would be the remission of a sentence or pardon on certain violent crimes, if such crimes were committed with aggravating circumstances.”Given the rate of violent crime in our country, criminals have already amended the Namibian Constitution by introducing the death penalty through the back door,” he told the House.Kawana said there was also a need to introduce minimum sentences for certain violent offences.He said his Ministry was working tirelessly to reform the country’s criminal justice system.Kawana said the Constitution guaranteed the protection of life and prohibited the imposition of the death penalty.He said these human rights could not repealed or amended.Another measure to clamp down on the rate of violent crime would be the remission of a sentence or pardon on certain violent crimes, if such crimes were committed with aggravating circumstances.”Given the rate of violent crime in our country, criminals have already amended the Namibian Constitution by introducing the death penalty through the back door,” he told the House.Kawana said there was also a need to introduce minimum sentences for certain violent offences.He said his Ministry was working tirelessly to reform the country’s criminal justice system.Kawana said the Constitution guaranteed the protection of life and prohibited the imposition of the death penalty.He said these human rights could not repealed or amended.