Greenwell community protests re-opening of Maperes Bar

PATRONS of the popular Maperes Bar in Katutura whose liquor licence was revoked last week are holding high their glasses of beer again at their favourite drinking hole.

The Maperes Bar was re-opened on July 13 after Sisa Namandje (the lawyer of the bar’s owner) and the Government Attorney reached an agreement that the bar be re-opened as it’s closure was illegal. Namandje told The Namibian yesterday that proper procedures were not followed to close his client’s bar.Namandje filed an urgent application with the High Court on July 9 that the decision to close the bar be reviewed, as it was unlawful.Namandje said that the Police have no right to close his client’s bar, unless there was a riot.”My client was also not given an opportunity to give his side,” said Namandje.Last week, the Police said the liquor licence for the Maperes Bar was revoked because the bar had been the scene of several violent and sometimes fatal late-night incidents.In two ocassions people were shot dead at the bar and in another a customer was seriously injured when he was stabbed at the bar.Residents in the neighbourhood, who were happy with the closure of Maperes Bar are angry at it being re-opened.”We were happy with the closure of the Maperes Bar in the semi-informal section of Greenwell Matongo.But to our surprise and anger the bar has now been re-opened,” said one resident in an sms message published in The Namibian yesterday.Namandje told The Namibian yesterday that proper procedures were not followed to close his client’s bar.Namandje filed an urgent application with the High Court on July 9 that the decision to close the bar be reviewed, as it was unlawful.Namandje said that the Police have no right to close his client’s bar, unless there was a riot.”My client was also not given an opportunity to give his side,” said Namandje.Last week, the Police said the liquor licence for the Maperes Bar was revoked because the bar had been the scene of several violent and sometimes fatal late-night incidents.In two ocassions people were shot dead at the bar and in another a customer was seriously injured when he was stabbed at the bar.Residents in the neighbourhood, who were happy with the closure of Maperes Bar are angry at it being re-opened.”We were happy with the closure of the Maperes Bar in the semi-informal section of Greenwell Matongo.But to our surprise and anger the bar has now been re-opened,” said one resident in an sms message published in The Namibian yesterday.