‘New’ treason accused face a longer wait to hear their fate

TWELVE men accused of involvement in an alleged plan to forcibly secede the Caprivi Region were told on Friday that they can expect greater clarity on the prosecution against them in three weeks.

The 12 appeared in two separate groups of seven and five people respectively in the Katima Mulilo and Mariental Magistrate’s Courts. Their last appearances in those courts were on March 12, when their cases were also postponed for three weeks so that the Prosecutor General could decide on what charges they would face if put on trial, and in which court.With no decision from the PG available on Friday, their cases were postponed until April 23.The seven who appeared before Magistrate Rachel Sakala at Katima Mulilo were Progress Kenyoka Munuma, Manuel Manepelo Makendano, Samulandela Shine Samulandela, Vincent Siliye Liswaniso, Vincent Khasu Sinasi, Alex Sinjabata Mushakwa and Salufu Diamond Samunzala.They were arrested on a charge of high treason in December, after the Botswana authorities revoked their asylum and sent them back to Namibia.The Botswana authorities claimed at the time that their asylum status had been cancelled because they had broken the conditions under which they had been given protection in that country.Appearing before Magistrate AS Venasius at Mariental were Alex Liswani Mafwila and Boster Mubuyeta Samwele, whom the Botswana authorities handed to their Namibian counterparts on December 6 2002, and Frederick Isaka Ntambilwa, John Tembwe Mazila and Hoster Simasiku Ntombo.In addition to the 12, another 107 people are accused of high treason – their case is pending in the High Court at Grootfontein.A further 13 high treason suspects, who were discharged from the High Court case when the court decided they had been brought before it irregularly, also remain in custody, having been rearrested on the same charges.They are scheduled to appear in the Katima Mulilo Magistrate’s Court again on May 7.Their last appearances in those courts were on March 12, when their cases were also postponed for three weeks so that the Prosecutor General could decide on what charges they would face if put on trial, and in which court.With no decision from the PG available on Friday, their cases were postponed until April 23.The seven who appeared before Magistrate Rachel Sakala at Katima Mulilo were Progress Kenyoka Munuma, Manuel Manepelo Makendano, Samulandela Shine Samulandela, Vincent Siliye Liswaniso, Vincent Khasu Sinasi, Alex Sinjabata Mushakwa and Salufu Diamond Samunzala.They were arrested on a charge of high treason in December, after the Botswana authorities revoked their asylum and sent them back to Namibia.The Botswana authorities claimed at the time that their asylum status had been cancelled because they had broken the conditions under which they had been given protection in that country.Appearing before Magistrate AS Venasius at Mariental were Alex Liswani Mafwila and Boster Mubuyeta Samwele, whom the Botswana authorities handed to their Namibian counterparts on December 6 2002, and Frederick Isaka Ntambilwa, John Tembwe Mazila and Hoster Simasiku Ntombo.In addition to the 12, another 107 people are accused of high treason – their case is pending in the High Court at Grootfontein.A further 13 high treason suspects, who were discharged from the High Court case when the court decided they had been brought before it irregularly, also remain in custody, having been rearrested on the same charges.They are scheduled to appear in the Katima Mulilo Magistrate’s Court again on May 7.