In Defence Of Teek

COULD you kindly allow me some space in your popular newspaper to air my views on the topical issue with respect to the recently concluded trial of former Judge Pio Teek? The trial and judgment of this legal luminary has ended but the repercussions are just beginning.

The impact of the final judgment has been unfortunately eclipsed by the prevailing socio-political hype in the country. However, permit me to point out some crucial lapses and apparent injustices that are sometimes inherent in instantaneous mass judgment or, as the English saying goes, a kangaroo-court system.First of all, the most learned judge who presided over the case, South African Judge Ronnie Bosielo, had pronounced his verdict on the rape and so many other charges against Judge Pio Teek.The State has not so far appealed or challenged his judgment.The accused rightfully is now blazing his pent-up anger to counter the accusers as the entire allegation had fallen apart and could have been at best a false fabrication with malicious intent at defamation and character assassination.When this episode began to unfold some two years ago, (i.e.the accusations), suffice it to say that most people were shocked and perhaps appalled by the depth of the accusations and the calibre of the personality being mentioned.The newspapers, including The Namibian, had a field day in sensationalising and hyping the entire issue.The Government of the day equally joined in the frenzy and took quick action in “suspending the accused” and removing all entitlements that were due to him.I was equally perplexed how one day when I was having a private talk with a friend of mine who happens to have joined the bandwagon in accusing, prosecuting, judging and sentencing Mr Pio Teek, ab initio.I wanted to know if she had considered the possibility that the accused might just be innocent! She was very emphatic in her response, which she had backed up with the popular English saying that there would be no smoke without a fire.I had cautioned her then to be wary as that fire might even be the smoking gun of an assassin, but she had remained resolute in her conviction.I think as a nation of decent, God-fearing Christians, the least we owe to Mr Teek is an unequivocal apology from all of us! For somebody who had never suffered from a malicious injustice of wrongful accusations or deliberate frame-up or defamation of character assassination would not understand the pain and suffering that this highly learned and proficient son of Namibia might have been going through during these past two years.Matthew A C Mojekwu Oshakati Note: Thank you for your comments on a topical issue.However, as in most criminal cases, one should try to refrain from rushing to judgement, even at this late stage of the matter.Even now that Mr Teek has been pronounced “not guilty”, we should remember that the prosecution in his case is still of the opinion that there was indeed a case for him to answer, hence the intention to try to appeal against the acquittal.At the same time, we can probably all agree that when children make such serious allegations as in this case, they cannot just be brushed off, even if the target of the claims is someone in a prominent public position, as Mr Teek was.Can you imagine the public reaction if the Police had summarily decided that these children should not be believed? Still, with a possible appeal pending, the jury remains out, as they say.EdHowever, permit me to point out some crucial lapses and apparent injustices that are sometimes inherent in instantaneous mass judgment or, as the English saying goes, a kangaroo-court system.First of all, the most learned judge who presided over the case, South African Judge Ronnie Bosielo, had pronounced his verdict on the rape and so many other charges against Judge Pio Teek.The State has not so far appealed or challenged his judgment.The accused rightfully is now blazing his pent-up anger to counter the accusers as the entire allegation had fallen apart and could have been at best a false fabrication with malicious intent at defamation and character assassination.When this episode began to unfold some two years ago, (i.e.the accusations), suffice it to say that most people were shocked and perhaps appalled by the depth of the accusations and the calibre of the personality being mentioned.The newspapers, including The Namibian, had a field day in sensationalising and hyping the entire issue.The Government of the day equally joined in the frenzy and took quick action in “suspending the accused” and removing all entitlements that were due to him.I was equally perplexed how one day when I was having a private talk with a friend of mine who happens to have joined the bandwagon in accusing, prosecuting, judging and sentencing Mr Pio Teek, ab initio.I wanted to know if she had considered the possibility that the accused might just be innocent! She was very emphatic in her response, which she had backed up with the popular English saying that there would be no smoke without a fire.I had cautioned her then to be wary as that fire might even be the smoking gun of an assassin, but she had remained resolute in her conviction.I think as a nation of decent, God-fearing Christians, the least we owe to Mr Teek is an unequivocal apology from all of us! For somebody who had never suffered from a malicious injustice of wrongful accusations or deliberate frame-up or defamation of character assassination would not understand the pain and suffering that this highly learned and proficient son of Namibia might have been going through during these past two years. Matthew A C Mojekwu Oshakati Note: Thank you for your comments on a topical issue.However, as in most criminal cases, one should try to refrain from rushing to judgement, even at this late stage of the matter.Even now that Mr Teek has been pronounced “not guilty”, we should remember that the prosecution in his case is still of the opinion that there was indeed a case for him to answer, hence the intention to try to appeal against the acquittal.At the same time, we can probably all agree that when children make such serious allegations as in this case, they cannot just be brushed off, even if the target of the claims is someone in a prominent public position, as Mr Teek was.Can you imagine the public reaction if the Police had summarily decided that these children should not be believed? Still, with a possible appeal pending, the jury remains out, as they say.Ed