Treason photos show toll of August 2 1999 attacks

THE tally of corpses in the Caprivi high treason trial’s evidence before the High Court at Grootfontein rose to 11 last week.

Photos showing the bodies of victims of the August 2 1999 attacks at Katima Mulilo and nearby areas are now evidence before Judge Elton Hoff. They were placed before him through the testimony of the first State witness, Detective Warrant Officer Daniel Mouton, last week.Judging by the photos, little, if anything at all, could have been noble about the way in which death snuffed out the lives of the victims of that day’s surprise early-morning attacks and their aftermath.Three Police officers, three Namibia Defence Force members, two civilians and seven alleged armed separatists died that day and in its immediate aftermath, Mouton told the court in the early stages of his testimony three weeks ago.Photos of 11 of these dead have now been submitted as evidence before Judge Hoff.Their deaths were unexpected and undignified; dirty and bloody.Police Constable Richard Mwakamui appears to have been shot in his bed in a tent at the Wenela Border Post, some of the photos show.He was found dead on a blood-smeared floor next to the bed, from which he appears to have fallen.He was dressed only in his underpants.At the Katima Mulilo town centre, in an alley between two shops, security guard Jameson Matonga Mabuku was found dead on the dusty ground, to which he had crumpled, mortally wounded, with his legs partially folded under the rest of his body, other photos show.Nearby, next to a civilian car with several bullet holes in it, with blood congealed on one of its back seats, lay three corpses, yet other photographs show.They were NDF members George Mutafela, Majority Likonga Siloiso and Lucas Simubali.At the Mpacha Military Base, which had come under attack just like Wenela, the only dead victims were alleged “rebels”, as Mouton continued to refer to them.They were all dressed in civilian clothes.One, identified as Davis Chiziza, was photographed with a gaping wound in his forehead.The face of another, named Herbert Muketela according to Mouton, was encrusted with blood and earth.He died with his eyes open.The third, identified as Obrin Mwahi, was dressed in a light brown tweed jacket, red shirt, black trousers and black shoes when he allegedly took part in the attack.He looked more like someone going to town to do shopping than someone participating in an armed attack on a military base.He lay with his head back, mouth open, unseeing eyes also open and staring skywards, with an expression that could be one of amazement or wonder, when photographed.Yet another alleged rebel – so far unidentified – is shown dead in a photo which, according to Mouton, was taken at an alleged rebel base some five kilometres from Linyanti, which itself is some 90 km southwest of Katima Mulilo.Blood ran from his nose and mouth as he lay on his back next to a tree.He had died at an alleged “rebel” base where he and other alleged “rebels” had taken temporary shelter, but were surprised by a Police contingent, Mouton said.’WITCHCRAFT’He and the three men killed at Mpacha all had alleged witchcraft charms on their bodies when they died, it is claimed.This consisted of strips of black cloth tied around the left upper arm.The Linyanti “rebel” was also found to have had other alleged witchcraft objects – beads and carved pieces of wood, threaded on string that he had around his neck and waist.But not just dead alleged separatists appear on the photos, and not just dead ones are claimed to have been found with alleged witchcraft charms.Four of the 120 accused before court are also on some of the pictures.The crime scene investigator told the court that he photographed three of these suspects on August 2 1999, at the Mpacha base.Appearing on these photos are Chris Puisano Ntaba, Accused 7; Kingsley Mwiya Musheba, Accused 9; and Bevin Joshua Tubwikale, formally known as Accused 13 in court.Both Ntaba and Musheba are shown sitting – bare-chested, hands apparently tied behind their backs, with what appears to be their shirts over their heads – on the back of a bakkie.Musheba and Tubwikale both have obvious injuries; Musheba’s left eye appears to have been swollen shut, and he also has a thick upper lip, while Musheba had an open wound on his forehead.Other photos show John Tibiso Masake, or Accused 10, on January 2 2001, apparently shortly after his arrest.Around his left upper arm is what appears to be a ring made of snakeskin.Around his neck he wore a few pieces of string – some with pieces of carved wood on them, one with what appears to be a little pouch also made of snakeskin – all also alleged to be witchcraft-related items.Mouton is scheduled to continue with his testimony today.A substantial part of Mouton’s evidence so far has been hearsay.But already there is an unusual body of evidence.Never before in the history of an independent Namibia has the High Court had to deal with a single case involving so many dead.* On a point of correction:It has been pointed out to The Namibian that the newspaper had incorrectly reported on Tuesday last week that defence counsel Henry Chanda had supported an application for a postponement on Monday.In fact, Chanda told the court that he had not been able to take specific instructions from his clients on that issue, and that he would be leaving a decision on the application to the discretion of the court.The error is regretted.They were placed before him through the testimony of the first State witness, Detective Warrant Officer Daniel Mouton, last week.Judging by the photos, little, if anything at all, could have been noble about the way in which death snuffed out the lives of the victims of that day’s surprise early-morning attacks and their aftermath.Three Police officers, three Namibia Defence Force members, two civilians and seven alleged armed separatists died that day and in its immediate aftermath, Mouton told the court in the early stages of his testimony three weeks ago.Photos of 11 of these dead have now been submitted as evidence before Judge Hoff.Their deaths were unexpected and undignified; dirty and bloody.Police Constable Richard Mwakamui appears to have been shot in his bed in a tent at the Wenela Border Post, some of the photos show.He was found dead on a blood-smeared floor next to the bed, from which he appears to have fallen.He was dressed only in his underpants.At the Katima Mulilo town centre, in an alley between two shops, security guard Jameson Matonga Mabuku was found dead on the dusty ground, to which he had crumpled, mortally wounded, with his legs partially folded under the rest of his body, other photos show.Nearby, next to a civilian car with several bullet holes in it, with blood congealed on one of its back seats, lay three corpses, yet other photographs show.They were NDF members George Mutafela, Majority Likonga Siloiso and Lucas Simubali.At the Mpacha Military Base, which had come under attack just like Wenela, the only dead victims were alleged “rebels”, as Mouton continued to refer to them.They were all dressed in civilian clothes.One, identified as Davis Chiziza, was photographed with a gaping wound in his forehead.The face of another, named Herbert Muketela according to Mouton, was encrusted with blood and earth.He died with his eyes open.The third, identified as Obrin Mwahi, was dressed in a light brown tweed jacket, red shirt, black trousers and black shoes when he allegedly took part in the attack.He looked more like someone going to town to do shopping than someone participating in an armed attack on a military base.He lay with his head back, mouth open, unseeing eyes also open and staring skywards, with an expression that could be one of amazement or wonder, when photographed.Yet another alleged rebel – so far unidentified – is shown dead in a photo which, according to Mouton, was taken at an alleged rebel base some five kilometres from Linyanti, which itself is some 90 km southwest of Katima Mulilo.Blood ran from his nose and mouth as he lay on his back next to a tree.He had died at an alleged “rebel” base where he and other al
leged “rebels” had taken temporary shelter, but were surprised by a Police contingent, Mouton said. ‘WITCHCRAFT’ He and the three men killed at Mpacha all had alleged witchcraft charms on their bodies when they died, it is claimed.This consisted of strips of black cloth tied around the left upper arm.The Linyanti “rebel” was also found to have had other alleged witchcraft objects – beads and carved pieces of wood, threaded on string that he had around his neck and waist.But not just dead alleged separatists appear on the photos, and not just dead ones are claimed to have been found with alleged witchcraft charms.Four of the 120 accused before court are also on some of the pictures.The crime scene investigator told the court that he photographed three of these suspects on August 2 1999, at the Mpacha base.Appearing on these photos are Chris Puisano Ntaba, Accused 7; Kingsley Mwiya Musheba, Accused 9; and Bevin Joshua Tubwikale, formally known as Accused 13 in court.Both Ntaba and Musheba are shown sitting – bare-chested, hands apparently tied behind their backs, with what appears to be their shirts over their heads – on the back of a bakkie.Musheba and Tubwikale both have obvious injuries; Musheba’s left eye appears to have been swollen shut, and he also has a thick upper lip, while Musheba had an open wound on his forehead.Other photos show John Tibiso Masake, or Accused 10, on January 2 2001, apparently shortly after his arrest.Around his left upper arm is what appears to be a ring made of snakeskin.Around his neck he wore a few pieces of string – some with pieces of carved wood on them, one with what appears to be a little pouch also made of snakeskin – all also alleged to be witchcraft-related items.Mouton is scheduled to continue with his testimony today.A substantial part of Mouton’s evidence so far has been hearsay.But already there is an unusual body of evidence.Never before in the history of an independent Namibia has the High Court had to deal with a single case involving so many dead.* On a point of correction:It has been pointed out to The Namibian that the newspaper had incorrectly reported on Tuesday last week that defence counsel Henry Chanda had supported an application for a postponement on Monday.In fact, Chanda told the court that he had not been able to take specific instructions from his clients on that issue, and that he would be leaving a decision on the application to the discretion of the court.The error is regretted.