OSHAKATI – The Oshakati Magistrate’s Court last week convicted a father to 20 months’ imprisonment for whipping his child on the night of March 17 last year. The father, Petrus Amugogo, was found guilty of assaulting his child with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm in a court ruling. Evidence brought before court indicated that Amugogo unlawfully and intentionally whipped the child with a stick, from which the child sustained serious injuries all over the body.
The incident took place at their home at Oshinyaadhila village near Ongwediva in Oshana Region. The 43-year-old Amugogo was arrested on March 18. After the incident Amugogo also lost custody of the child that he whipped as well as his three other children who were all relocated from their home.
State prosecutor Birna Adriaanse prior the sentence argued that with Namibia’s escalating cases of gender-based violence and domestic violence it would be unruly not to punish offenders appropriately.
Adriaanse related that violence is an unacceptable behaviour and that it needs to be fought tooth and nail. Adriaanse added that it was equally important to protect the rights of every human being in Namibia most especially those of women and children.
Magistrate Helena Ekandjo informed the accused prior to delivering his judgment that the court had taken into consideration that the accused was a first time offender..
Adriaanse further argued that if offenders of such crimes were not punished accordingly, the justice system would be mistaken for a toothless bulldog that fails the community.
By Staff Reporter