A Windhoek-based lawyer and politician is facing criminal charges after allegedly assaulting and threatening to kill the child maintenance officer handling his case.
Khomas police crime investigations head deputy commissioner Frederick Ndjadila last week confirmed the case to The Namibian.
He said Joshua Kaumbi is facing three charges – assault by threat, common assault, and assault with intent to do bodily harm.
“He has not been arrested yet, because of pending evidential documents from the doctor, which should be presented by the complainant,” Ndjadila said.
The maintenance officer opened the case on 13 July, following a physical altercation at Katutura Magistrate’s Court.
Part of the allegations are that Kaumbi had previously threatened the investigator dealing with his maintenance case.
According to documents seen by The Namibian, the incident occurred after repeated confrontations in an attempt to obtain Kaumbi’s updated financial records.
The lawyer has allegedly pointed fingers at the officer’s face, said he could just pay a non-compliance fine rather than submit payslips, and threatened to beat her up in Otjiherero, saying: ‘mekuhanisa’ (I will beat you).
Investigators and maintenance officers involved in the case say they sometimes fear for their safety while carrying out their official duties.
Kaumbi has strongly denied the allegations.
Earlier this week, he said he has opened a counter-case of assault against the maintenance officer, but declined to provide details.
“I confirm that I opened a case at Windhoek Police Station against [the officer] for assault on the advice of the police officers at the Katutura court,” he said.
Kaumbi’s legal dispute stems from maintenance proceedings involving him and his former spouse.
In March, the court issued an attachment order deducting N$20 000 monthly from the lawyer’s salary to cover his maintenance obligations and arrears.
Kaumbi subsequently applied to vary the order, seeking to lower his monthly payments to N$4 500.
However, investigators noted that he had failed to provide current payslips or bank statements to justify the reduction.
When court officials issued statutory directives to the university where he works and the Ministry of Works and Transport to verify his earning capacity, Kaumbi allegedly engaged in a series of hostile interactions with court staff, including the prosecutor assigned to the case, the investigation officer, and the maintenance officer.
According to court documents, he directly confronted investigators at one point, making verbal threats and asserting he would rather pay non-compliance fines than release his financial records.
“We are really worried about our safety, especially when someone is threatening us like this.
We request that the management do something about our safety, because we are scared we will end up getting killed just for doing our jobs.
Remember what happened to Justine,” one court official said this week.
The Namibian understands court officials have now requested that all future dealings with Kaumbi be handled strictly through legal representatives.
The incident comes a few months after Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court control prosecutor Justine Shiweda was shot multiple times and attacked with a corrosive acid.
The hit was linked to her professional duties, specifically her refusal to accept a bribe, as well as her opposition to grant bail to Abner ‘Kapilili’ Mateus, a former police officer facing various criminal charges.
Shiweda succumbed to her injuries on 7 February.
CALL FOR URGENT PROTECTION
Speaking to The Namibian last week, prosecutor general Martha Imalwa confirmed she was aware of the maintenance officer’s case, but said it was not registered under her.
“They fall under the Ministry of Justice [and Labour Relations],” she said.
Justice minister Wise Immanuel in February called for urgent residential security protection for all magistrates and prosecutors.
He requested the minister of home affairs, immigration, safety and security, Lucia Iipumbu, and then police inspector general Joseph Shikongo to immediately deploy security personnel to the homes of all judicial officers.
When The Namibian asked about this directive last week, the ministry promised to respond, but has not done so by the time of going to print.
