Windhoek High Court Acting Judge Petrus Unengu on Monday imposed further custodial sentences on the seven remaining treason accused, ranging from five to 16 years.
They were convicted in July on charges of high treason, charges under the Arms and Ammunitions Act, and the Immigration Control Act.
The judge sentenced Progress Kenyoka Munuma to an effective jail term of 16 years, comprising 26 years, with 10 years suspended for five years on the charge of treason, five years on the arms and ammunition charge, and one year on the immigration charges.
He ordered that the sentences run concurrently.
In respect of Shine Samulandela Samulandela, Alex Sinjaba Makendano, Frederick Isaka Ntambilwa, Hoster Simasiku Ntombo and John Mazila Tembwe, he sentenced them to 20 years on the treason count, with eight years suspended for five years, five years on the arms and ammunition charge and one year on the immigration charges.
He, however, ordered that the sentences run concurrently.
He sentenced Manuel Manepelo Makendano, whom he called a mere sympathiser, to 10 years on the treason charge, with five years suspended for five years, and five years on the arms and ammunition charge to run concurrently.
“During the trial, none of the accused were remorseful for their actions perpetrated against their fellow natives who lost their lives in that region in the attack carried out on these innocent people, acting Judge Unengu stated.
He said the gravamen of the case is that the accused were in fact assassins, who were not prepared to engage in open dialogue with the legitimate government, but opted for violent means to attain their goals.
He added that while a trial judge may blend his or her sentence with mercy in certain instances, there are cases that may not be possible in view of the seriousness of the offence and the interests of society.
He said he considered the period that the accused has already spent in custody, but the delays were not all at the door of the prosecution.
The double-barrel pleas of the accused that they are not subjected to Namibian jurisprudence as they are Caprivians and not Namibians are also to be blamed for the delay in finalising the matter, the judge stated.
He reiterated that the offences the accused were convicted of are undoubtedly serious, which calls for severe punishment.
The courts are bound to protect society from such offenders and other would-be offenders, as well as to maintain peace and tranquillity.
The accused were convicted of attempting to secede the then- Caprivi Strip, present-day Zambezi region, from Namibia in August 1999 through violent means.
They attacked government installations, such as army bases, police stations and the offices of the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation.
The accused have been in custody since their arrests in 2002 and 2003, totalling 21 and 22 years in pretrial custody.
They were represented by Ilse Aggenbach and Jorg Neves, and the State by Lourens Campher.