Self-Accountability and Scheduled AppearanceProtocol

Namibia has spoken: Arrests are out, convenience is in.

The new prophet of this gospel? Minister of home affairs, immigration, safety and security Lucia Iipumbu.

And since the times are changing, I’ve decided to help package it nicely under a shiny new brand: the Self-Accountability and Scheduled Appearance Protocol. Sasap, for short. Let me unpack by starting at the ‘binninging’.

Here’s the thinking: Why stress the nation’s overworked police officers and crammed holding cells when, let’s be honest, most suspects are super reliable and will definitely show up to court on their own?

Minister Iipumbu nailed it when she pointed to “serious overcrowding challenges”. Instead of building new cells, just stop putting people in the old ones. Genius-level problem-solving.

This new era, let’s call it Sasap, is all about mutual respect. The police respect your busy schedule and your right to a good night’s sleep in your own bed. You, in turn, respect their overwhelming workload and lack of available space. It’s a win-win.

We’re trading the chaotic traditional arrests for a system built on trust and a good old-fashioned honour code.

Sasap is built on mutual respect. Cops respect your beauty sleep. You respect their shortage of space. Simple. No more messy midnight arrests, no more dog cages. Just trust and vibes.

You of all people can appreciate the burden of tracing you, having someone read and explain your right to remain dumb, the paperwork and having to keep you right there at the charge office counter for days, because there is just no room in the dog cages at the back.

This is why this will work.

In case you are wondering how this would really work, let’s look at some possible situations that will benefit from Sasap.

You’ve just had a few celebratory beverages, and you’re driving home, perhaps a little wobbly on the road. Under the old, archaic system, an officer might pull you over, insist on a breathalyser test on the spot, and then, the horror, force you to a station for a formal test and, heaven forbid, a night in the drunk tank.

Under Sasap, the process is streamlined for your convenience. You simply acknowledge your potential transgression, drive home safely, sober up in the comfort of your own bed, and then, at a time that works for you, you can walk to the station.

Once there, you can present yourself for a proper test on the big machine. It’s a system that treats you like the responsible adult you are, in line with the minister’s call to “prevent, mediate and redirect before turning to incarceration”.

What a time to be alive!

And the benefits don’t stop there. Think of the paperwork. Or rather, don’t. Because under Sasap, the suspect is now a full partner in the administrative process. After a little shoplifting misunderstanding at the local supermarket, instead of a dramatic chase and detention, you can simply go home, put your new loot away, and then, at a convenient time, pop over to the station.

You can bring a list of the items you may have forgotten to pay for. Perhaps you can even offer a suggestion for how many hours of community service would feel fair.

This isn’t just self-policing; it’s collaborative governance. It’s beautiful. The point is that all these unwarranted detentions and premature arrests are costing us scarce resources. We have to save money for 2030.

Sasap is a system based entirely on the assumption that everyone will, without fail, do the right thing.

Maybe someone forgets to show up because they woke up winddronk. Maybe they need to reschedule their court appearance because their car is in for repairs.

These are minor logistical hurdles, not systemic failures.

An arrest is inhumane, insulting, belittling and humiliating. This isn’t about letting people get away with things; it’s about making sure that the entire judicial process is as convenient and friction-free as possible. The bad old days of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ are being replaced by the enlightened era of ‘trustworthy until proven otherwise, at a time and place of your choosing’.

This speaks directly to a certain top lawyer’s argument where he said something like: “Inambao, do you know that even when you have a warrant of arrest, you can use your discretion to not arrest? Huh? Answer me, Inambao!”

With Sasap, the problem is solved.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a few things to get done, and I’ve scheduled my future court appearance for Tuesday at 15h00.

I am not sure what law I will suspect myself of breaking, but it is better to just turn up like a responsible citizen and supporter of Sasap.

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