Hate crime’ suspects back in court

HATE crime suspects Gerson Ndjavera and Methuzal “Malcolm X” Matundu will appear in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court for the third time on 11 April 2006.

The two men, accused of contravening two sections of the Prohibition of Racial Discrimination Act of 1991, made their second court appearance yesterday. Windhoek Magistrate Sarel Jacobs remanded their case to April next year to enable them to obtain legal aid.Ndjavera, a 40-year-old unemployed resident of Windhoek, is accused of carrying a hand-written placard bearing the phrase “Kill all whites” down Windhoek’s main street during a demonstration of the Herero people of Namibia against the German government on August 24 2005.The two sections of the Prohibition of Racial Discrimination Act of 1991 that are alleged to have been contravened prohibit the use of any language and the display of any article that is intended to threaten any person or group on the grounds of the racial group that the person belongs to, or that is intended to cause, encourage or incite hatred between different racial groups.Someone found guilty on these counts could face a maximum fine of N$100 000 or a 15-year prison sentence, or both.Ndjavera first appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on September 26 and was granted bail of N$500.The case was then postponed to 22 November 22, pending further police investigation.Shortly after that Matundu, also known as Malcolm X, was arrested and charged with the same offences.The outspoken Matundu (33) defiantly repeated his call for all white people in Namibia to be killed when he first appeared on the charges in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court at the end of October this year.He told a reporter from The Namibian at the time that he – and not Ndjavera – was the “authentic author” of the placard.Like Ndjavera, he too is out on bail of N$500.- NampaWindhoek Magistrate Sarel Jacobs remanded their case to April next year to enable them to obtain legal aid.Ndjavera, a 40-year-old unemployed resident of Windhoek, is accused of carrying a hand-written placard bearing the phrase “Kill all whites” down Windhoek’s main street during a demonstration of the Herero people of Namibia against the German government on August 24 2005.The two sections of the Prohibition of Racial Discrimination Act of 1991 that are alleged to have been contravened prohibit the use of any language and the display of any article that is intended to threaten any person or group on the grounds of the racial group that the person belongs to, or that is intended to cause, encourage or incite hatred between different racial groups.Someone found guilty on these counts could face a maximum fine of N$100 000 or a 15-year prison sentence, or both.Ndjavera first appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on September 26 and was granted bail of N$500.The case was then postponed to 22 November 22, pending further police investigation.Shortly after that Matundu, also known as Malcolm X, was arrested and charged with the same offences.The outspoken Matundu (33) defiantly repeated his call for all white people in Namibia to be killed when he first appeared on the charges in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court at the end of October this year.He told a reporter from The Namibian at the time that he – and not Ndjavera – was the “authentic author” of the placard.Like Ndjavera, he too is out on bail of N$500.- Nampa