PG is working through case backlog

PROSECUTOR General Martha Imalwa and two assistants are working through outstanding Police dockets at the Oshakati Magistrate’s Court.

Imalwa told The Namibian that there is a backlog of thousands of cases countrywide and this has sparked complaints from legal practitioners and the public. She said a staff shortage was to blame for the delays.”We need more magistrates, prosecutors and well-trained case investigators,” Imalwa said.”Many of our Police cells in the country are reportedly full of inmates awaiting trial, but because of the serious shortage of magistrates and prosecutors, we are now sitting with this problem of thousands of outstanding Police dockets which have to be finalised.”She said at Oshakati alone, cells built to accommodate 120 inmates are crammed with over 200 prisoners at the moment.Magistrates and prosecutors are joining the private sector because of the vastly higher income they can earn as private legal practitioners, she said.According to Imalwa, the Outapi Magistrate’s Court, which needs three magistrates and three prosecutors, has only one of each.The Oshakati Magistrate’s Court has only three magistrates and three prosecutors instead of seven or eight.The Prosecutor General says she has divided her department into two groups to visit courts countrywide and finalise cases.One group, consisting of herself, prosecutors Orben Sibeya and Ruth Herunga and Magistrate Naomi Shivute, started clearing the backlog at northern courts on March 5.They have already covered Opuwo, Outapi, Okahao and Onandjamba/Okalongo and are now busy with dockets opened by the Oshakati, Eenhana and Ondangwa Police stations.The second group visited Katima Mulilo, Rundu, Otjiwarongo and Okakarara and is now busy with Walvis Bay and Swakopmund.”We are very serious with this campaign because we want all these outstanding cases to be finished.It is why we have brought in our own magistrates and prosecutors from Windhoek,” Imalwa said.She added that they would give priority to the cases of accused persons who are in custody.She said a staff shortage was to blame for the delays.”We need more magistrates, prosecutors and well-trained case investigators,” Imalwa said.”Many of our Police cells in the country are reportedly full of inmates awaiting trial, but because of the serious shortage of magistrates and prosecutors, we are now sitting with this problem of thousands of outstanding Police dockets which have to be finalised.”She said at Oshakati alone, cells built to accommodate 120 inmates are crammed with over 200 prisoners at the moment.Magistrates and prosecutors are joining the private sector because of the vastly higher income they can earn as private legal practitioners, she said.According to Imalwa, the Outapi Magistrate’s Court, which needs three magistrates and three prosecutors, has only one of each.The Oshakati Magistrate’s Court has only three magistrates and three prosecutors instead of seven or eight.The Prosecutor General says she has divided her department into two groups to visit courts countrywide and finalise cases.One group, consisting of herself, prosecutors Orben Sibeya and Ruth Herunga and Magistrate Naomi Shivute, started clearing the backlog at northern courts on March 5.They have already covered Opuwo, Outapi, Okahao and Onandjamba/Okalongo and are now busy with dockets opened by the Oshakati, Eenhana and Ondangwa Police stations.The second group visited Katima Mulilo, Rundu, Otjiwarongo and Okakarara and is now busy with Walvis Bay and Swakopmund.”We are very serious with this campaign because we want all these outstanding cases to be finished.It is why we have brought in our own magistrates and prosecutors from Windhoek,” Imalwa said.She added that they would give priority to the cases of accused persons who are in custody.