Katima Mulilo
Vincent Likoro who is the special advisor in the office of the Swapo secretary general was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment by the Katima Mulilo Regional Court in the Zambezi Region yesterday.
Likoro was convicted of rape in the same court earlier this week after magistrate Mbogani Ndlovu found him guilty of raping a female colleague from the then Ministry of Lands and Resettlement back in July 2013.
When he committed the crime Likoro was employed as the special advisor to the then Minister of Lands and Resettlement Alfeus !Naruseb.
Court records indicated the rape occurred at Namushasha Lodge in the Zambezi Region, where staff members of the ministry were staying during an official visit to the region.
The rape happened after the delegation had dinner together, after which Likoro and the victim remained behind. It is understood he then started making sexual advances towards her, and is also said to have followed her to her room where he proceeded to have sexual intercourse with her without her consent.
While reading his sentence in court Magistrate Mbongani Ndlovu stressed he did not take into account that the accused is a public figure, as doing so would have either been an act of victimisation towards the accused, or an act of favouritism which in turn could have been an abstract of justice.
Likoro’s defence counsel Kennedy Haraseb from Metcalfe Legal Practitioners had argued that Likoro be given a lesser sentence of four years and have the sentence or the case wholly suspended.
However, in his sentencing Ndlovu stated he was not presented with sufficient evidence of substantial circumstances.
The defence lawyer had also argued that the fact that the accused has 12 children of whom 10 depended on him should be considered as substantial circumstances. Magistrate Ndlovu however ruled this out, stating that those are just mere mitigating factors and do not qualify to be classified as substantial circumstances.
During mitigation and during the entire trial Likoro maintained he has no remorse for what he has now been convicted of. “I’m not sure if I should say I am remorseful or not, I have no ill feelings against the complainant as I am a Christian and have no reasons to lie. It’s just a pity that my version of the story was considered a fabrication,” Likoro pleaded in his defence.
Magistrate Ndlovu however stated that he did not consider the fact that Likoro was not remorseful when he decided on the sentence. State prosecutor Jatiel Mudamburi had suggested that the offender be sent to jail for 13 years. Ndlovu however sentenced the accused to 10 years which is the minimum for rape convicts according to the Combating of Rape Act 8 of 2000.
Up until his conviction this week Likoro had been on bail of N$2 000. However, he will now have to do with direct imprisonment of 10 years. His lawyer hinted that he would wish to appeal, and magistrate Ndlovu stated that should he wish to do so he should forward his application of appeal to the High Court within the next 14 working days.