SPYL asks cadres to chip in to pay for slander cases

SWAPO Party Youth League Secretary Elijah Ngurare yesterday called on party cadres to make contributions so that the Youth League can help pay a N$250 000 defamation judgement given against one of its executive members, Veikko Nekundi, in the High Court last week.

Ngurare also wants ‘all the Swapo Party family’ to make donations in support of Ohangwena Region Governor Usko Nghaamwa, who last month settled a defamation claim in which he was sued by Ismael Shailemo, the co-ordinator of the Rally for Democracy and Progress in the Oshikoto Region. Nghaamwa issued a public apology to Shailemo, and agreed to pay an undisclosed sum of money to him to settle the case.SPYL fully supports Nekundi and Nghaamwa, Ngurare told a media briefing in Windhoek. He added: ‘Therefore we call on all the Swapo Party family to donate N$1 each towards the legal costs of these two comrades.’The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Veiccoh Nghiwete, was awarded a N$250 000 judgement against Nekundi in the High Court on June 24 as a result of comments Nekundi made at a SPYL press conference on March 26.Nekundi claimed that Nghiwete and other senior Government officials attended a meeting with the President of the RDP, the German Ambassador to Namibia and other German officials at which ‘strategies to cause national destruction and confusion’ were discussed.In fact, Nghiwete and the other people mentioned by Nekundi had found themselves together on the guest list for a dinner that the Ambassador hosted for a visiting German delegation at a Windhoek restaurant.Nghiwete has been a member of Swapo since 1969, was a combatant and commander in the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia in the 1970s, when he was seriously wounded in a landmine explosion, and was one of the first Namibians to be appointed as an ambassador to represent Namibia on the international stage after the country’s Independence, Acting Judge John Manyarara heard when Nghiwete testified in the High Court in support of the defamation claim.The claim was filed with the High Court on April 7. Nekundi did not defend the case before a ruling was given against him five and a half weeks later.Nghiwete sued Nekundi for N$250 000. He claimed, amongst others, that Nekundi’s remarks were intended to be understood that Nghiwete was involved in treasonous and subversive activities against the Republic of Namibia, that he conspired with the representative of a foreign government to engage in these activities, and that he was involved in meetings which undermine the Government of Namibia and the country’s ruling party.Ngurare charged yesterday that the case was actually not against Nekundi himself, but rather against ‘the militants of the Swapo Party Youth League’.Ngurare said: ‘As the legal saying goes ‘law is like a spider web it catches flies but big birds fly through’. This clearly was a law for big birds with resources and influence to the judiciary.’ (sic)He later added: ‘The SPYL may be ‘flies’ and the Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs a ‘big bird’, however we are committed and united in our resolve and conviction to support comrade Veikko Nekundi 100 per cent.’Without mentioning him by name, Ngurare also directed remarks at Acting Judge Manyarara. These included: ‘And a judge who was meant to be an impartial arbiter conveniently agreed to blow a whistle for a penalty kick without a goalkeeper.’In fact, Nekundi played the role of a goalkeeper who refused to join the match until the goal against him had been scored and his opponent had walked off with the cup.Court documents notifying Nekundi of the case and setting out the claim were served on him personally at his workplace at the City of Windhoek at 14h20 on April 8, it is shown by documents on record at the High Court.Nekundi failed to give any indication to the court that he wanted to defend the case. After the 10 working days that he had time to give notice of his intention to defend the matter had run out, Nghiwete’s lawyers went to court to ask that a default judgement be granted against Nekundi.Acting Judge Manyarara granted a default judgement against Nekundi on May 15 – three weeks after Nekundi had to indicate his intention to oppose the claim had run out. By May 15, Nekundi had still not taken steps to oppose the case.Only after the default judgement had been granted and the first newspaper reports on the judgement had been published, did Nekundi instruct law firm Conradie & Damaseb on May 26 to defend the case.A notice of intention to defend the case was belatedly filed at the High Court by the law firm on the same day.Ngurare mentioned nothing about Nekundi’s failure to defend the case yesterday.When asked why the case was not defended in time, though, he indicated that an appeal process is being pursued. Just in case, though, the Youth League also wants to be prepared for other possibilities, which is why contributions were being asked for, he indicated.