LÜDERITZ – Deputy Minister of Minister of Justice, Tommy Nambahu, has expressed grave concern over the dilapidated state of the magistrate’s court buildings and lack of security in the //Karas Region.
Nambahu and Deputy Director of Court Administration Eino Uushona are on a four-day familiarisation visit to all //Karas and Hardap regional courts. According to Nambahu the visit was prompted by the disappearance of money in the regional magistrates courts, saying his office has instructed a group of people to inspect the books in the regional court offices. Nambahu was especially disappointed in the state of affairs at the Lüderitz magistrate’s office where he encountered general neglect of the buildings. He also said there has been a drastic decline in witnesses who are prepared to testify, because they distrust the courts. “If people have confidence in courts they will not take the law in their own hands. Some renovations were done, but it is substandard work. I understand some of the things on the quotations for renovations were not carried out. The one thing that is concerning me most is the security of our property, our documents, and dockets. Some of the doors do not even lock and they do not even have a security guard. Perhaps you can see one (security guard) but I cannot see any,” said Nambahu, who added that he would like to see security cameras installed at magistrates offices. ”We as Namibians we have not yet internalised the importance of courts. Our courts must be commensurate with the town’s development. Courts also handle money, lots of money we have seen cases where such money disappeared. Money that must be banked on a daily basis is piled up and then people are tempted, I am not justifying it but this is what happens,” he said.
According to Nambahu the reshuffling of permanent secretaries in various government ministries makes it difficult to hold office bearers accountable, because there is no way to tell who failed to perform. “There is a lot of passing of the buck. The PS must be the memory bank of the ministry, but if you change them all the time then we are unable to follow up,” he said. He also expressed disappointment with what he described as the ‘filthy’ offices and parking areas at the Lüderitz magistrate’s office. Nambahu started the visit in Keetmanshoop on Friday morning and has since visited Karasburg and Lüderitz.
By Jemima Beukes