PG to decide on Caprivi seven

SEVEN Caprivi high treason accused who were charged after the Botswana authorities handed them over to Namibia in December have made a second appearance in the Katima Mulilo Magistrate’s Court.

The seven, whose case was transferred back to the lower court at Katima Mulilo when they made a first appearance in the High Court at Grootfontein on January 19, appeared before Magistrate Rachel Sakala last Monday. Their case was postponed to March 12 for the Prosecutor General to make a decision on their prosecution – specifically on where they will be charged and the nature of the charges.The seven, who were represented by Legal Aid Directorate counsel Patience Daringo last Monday, are: Samulandela Shine Samulandela, Siliye Vincent Liswaniso, Vincent Khasu Sinasi, Sinjabata Alex Mushakwa, Makendano Manuel Manepelo, Munuma Progress Kenyoka and Salufu Diamond Samunzala.They were arrested after the Botswana authorities handed them to their Namibian counterparts on December 12.The handover has been attacked by human rights organisations in both Namibia and Botswana as an “abduction” of Namibians granted asylum in Botswana.When the seven appeared before Judge Elton Hoff in the High Court at Grootfontein last month, the leader of the prosecution team in the case of the 120 Caprivi high treason accused, Herman January, informed the Judge that four of the seven were to be joined to the case of the 120; the other three would have to be transferred to the High Court in Windhoek in a separate case.The seven remain in custody.Their case was postponed to March 12 for the Prosecutor General to make a decision on their prosecution – specifically on where they will be charged and the nature of the charges. The seven, who were represented by Legal Aid Directorate counsel Patience Daringo last Monday, are: Samulandela Shine Samulandela, Siliye Vincent Liswaniso, Vincent Khasu Sinasi, Sinjabata Alex Mushakwa, Makendano Manuel Manepelo, Munuma Progress Kenyoka and Salufu Diamond Samunzala. They were arrested after the Botswana authorities handed them to their Namibian counterparts on December 12. The handover has been attacked by human rights organisations in both Namibia and Botswana as an “abduction” of Namibians granted asylum in Botswana. When the seven appeared before Judge Elton Hoff in the High Court at Grootfontein last month, the leader of the prosecution team in the case of the 120 Caprivi high treason accused, Herman January, informed the Judge that four of the seven were to be joined to the case of the 120; the other three would have to be transferred to the High Court in Windhoek in a separate case. The seven remain in custody.