ONDANGWA – Five of the six men accused of the murder of Ondangwa Control Prosecutor Justine Shiweda were denied bail when they appeared in the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Their case has been postponed to 8 April for further investigation and accused to secure legal representation.
Magistrate Kaevarua Veruka Njembo presided over the matter.
The State was represented by Yeukai Kangira.
Some of the accused told the court that they were not allowed to speak with their families while in custody, which hindered their ability to obtain private lawyers.
The accused are Lukas Nekwiyu, Mateus Abner, Petrus Uusiku, Petrus Shikwaya and Fillemon ‘Fly’ Nakanduungile.
The sixth accused, Nghilifavali Johannes, was absent, as he is reportedly in custody in Windhoek.
Court proceedings were briefly disrupted after family members of the late prosecutor became emotional in court.
The late Shiweda’s sister broke into tears during the court session.
Shiweda died after spending months in hospital following a brutal attack on 17 October 2025 when she was shot and doused with acid outside her home in Ondangwa.
Hundreds of people from the community gathered at the court, including Shiweda’s family, to witness the ruling.
The six accused collectively face six charges.
In another separate case, twelve people, including three of the accused in the murder of Shiweda, made their first appearance in the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court to face charges involving N$1.9 million for money laundering at Sanlam. Among them are a medical doctor, a medical intern from Onandjokwe Hospital and a nurse.
They face charges of theft, fraud, corruption, forgery, money laundering and violations of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA).
The matter was postponed to 17 September 2026 as investigations continue and more arrests are expected, while the accused are also given time to seek legal aid and legal representation.
They include Festus Amwaalwa, Isreal Nkandi Shikongo, Kesley Kudumo, Otillie Shiwaombili Johannes, Joshua Katsilwa, Julia Shambo, Martha Eliphas, Varela Gomes Varela, Klaudia Martin, Abner Matheus, Nakandungile and Petrus Kuume Shikwaya.
Six of the twelve accused were granted bail of N$25 000 each, while the six linked to Shiweda’s murder were denied bail.