Windhoek
Judge Christi Liebenberg yesterday announced that the inquest into the death of struggle kid Frieda Ndatipo, who died from a bullet wound, would be held from July 09 to July 17 this year.Ndatipo died on the spot after she was shot in the upper side of her body in a shooting that remains a mystery as the perpetrator is free to this day. The Minister of Justice Albert Kawana requested the Deputy Chief Justice Petrus Damaseb to designate a judge to preside over the inquest of the late Ndatipo, who was shot dead allegedly by an unknown member of the police force during a scuffle at the Swapo headquarters last year. Damaseb designated Judge Christi Liebenberg to conduct the inquest.Liebenberg informed a packed B Court that State Advocate Dominic Lusilo would conduct the inquest.
The guardian of Ndatipo’s children indicated to the court that she would apply to the Directorate of Legal Aid for a legal representative.
Local lawyer Norman Tjombe will represent the reporters from The Namibian newspaper, who were summoned to give testimony at the inquest while the television footage of One Africa Television of the day in question was also subpoenaed.
Local lawyer Titus Ipumbu who was very vocal in his call for a lawsuit against the government on behalf of Ndatipo’s family was also subpoenaed to give evidence. Prosecutor General Martha Imalwa indicated she declined to prosecute anyone in the matter after the Ombudsman John Walters handed in his report on the investigation of the incident to her office. After a public outcry, the justice minister requested the judge president to hold an inquest into the death of Ndatipo, in life one of the so-called struggle kids who have been demanding jobs from the government. The inquest is to determine whether anyone is liable for her death and whether the incident is criminally prosecutable.