Nuusita Ashipala
Ongwediva-Three Ondangwa court officials accused of using their offices for self-gratification were each granted bail of N$5,000 at the Ondangwa Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
The suspects granted bail include the court’s chief clerk Martha Nakakuwa (33), legal court clerk John Sauzuo (58) and Petrus Kalenga (46) a messenger of the court.
The 31-year-old court interpreter Adolf Geovani Simeon, who was arrested together with the three, did not have his bail hearing heard with the others because his bail hearing would only take place yesterday (Thursday).
The four face charges ranging from theft and corruptly using their office or position for self-gratification in connection with traffic fines, liquor licences and child maintenance payments.
Simeon faces an additional charge of fraud.
The court has remanded their case to 7 August 2017 for further investigations.
The four made their first court appearance on Monday 19 June 2017.
Simeon was arrested on Friday 16 while the rest were arrested on Saturday 17.
During their first appearance Kalenga, Simeon, and Sauzuo pleaded with the court to have them transferred to another cell, charging that their current cell’s toilet was malfunctioning and that it was dirty.
Nakakuwa on the other hand told the court she had become a laughing stock in court, while her cellmates allegedly want to beat her up because she is an assistant magistrate.
Magistrate Cynthia Matiti presided over the bail hearing while Leonard Tjiveze prosecuted.