Windhoek
Following weeks of protracted legal battles in the ongoing attempted rape case of Namibian boxer Junias Jonas, Team Namibia’s chief of mission at the Rio Olympics, Jesse Schickerling, has called for the urgent diplomatic intercession of the Namibian government in the case.
Jonas, who was Namibia’s flagbearer during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was arrested on suspicion of having sexually assaulted a housekeeper in the Athletes’ Village.
After spending a few nights in the notorious and filthy Bangu penitentiary complex in Rio, the Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC) – in collaboration with the Namibian Embassy in Brazil – managed to provisionally free the 22-year-old pugilist via a habeas corpus application.
Through the successful application, Jonas was granted his physical freedom on condition that he does not leave that country and remains under the guardianship of the Namibian Embassy while awaiting trial.
With Namibian officials in Rio and the Namibian Embassy seemingly having exhausted all avenues to resolve the matter and with dwindling resources Schickerling has called on government – through the sport ministry – to step in and diplomatically engage their Brazilian counterparts to help resolve the case as quickly as possible, given that the Brazilians are on recess until August 23.
“We believe that Jonas, an ambassador proudly representing Namibia through sport, is not only the responsibility of the NNOC, government should come in and assist in vindicating Jonas, which would then see his subsequent return back home.”
In the midst of all the legal hastles over the past 80 days, Schickerling has also worryingly observed that athletes are extremely exposed and vulnerable in the Athletes’ Village.
“While the Court of Arbitration for Sport provides a forum for the protection of athletes in and during the Games, there also seems to be a lack of practical means in really making sure that athletes are protected at all times, especially in such cases,” Schickerling adds.
She concluded by assuring all Namibians that the NNOC would continue to do everything in its power and within its means to ensure Jonas’ rights are not violated and that he continues to enjoy his legal rights.