Social media influencer and foreign currency trader Brownson Lukas, also known as ‘John Wick CEO’ on social media, was granted bail in the amount of N$50 000 yesterday in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court.

Magistrate Jozanne Klazen granted him bail after the bail hearing and set strict conditions for his release.

According to the court, Lukas, who is accused of assault, is not allowed within 500 metres of the complainant wherever she might be including her residence, her workplace or the Inner-City Lutheran Church in Windhoek at times of church services. 

It was further ordered that he must not interfere or attempt to interfere with State witnesses or potential witnesses or police investigations. Furthermore, he is not allowed to communicate directly or indirectly with the complainant and any comments to or about the complainant on social media will be regarded as indirect communication. 

Lastly, he must not be charged with any offence committed while on bail. 

Lukas is facing a charge of common assault and malicious damage to property in relation to his current case.

This is in addition to a charge of assault and malicious damage to property in his pending case.

The State and the complainant in the current matter opposed bail. 

The complainant, Dr Josephine Amesho, is opposing bail out of fear that he will fulfil the threats he made against her during the altercation on 16 June that led to his second arrest. 

He was released on bail of N$15 000 after he allegedly broke down the door of his former girlfriend on 23 January and assaulted her with pieces of the broken door.

Amesho testified during the bail hearing that Lukas pushed her against the bed while threatening that he will f#$%k her up as he did with his former girlfriend.

She further said that this was not the only incident of violence towards her, and that she forgave him for his previous incidents, but this time he put his hands on her and she could not let it go. 

The State is opposing bail on the strength of its case against him, the fear of re-offending and the interest of society. 

Lukas denied any wrongdoing in the latest incident and said that it was just a misunderstanding between him and Amesho because he came to her place late and was under the influence of alcohol. 

In her ruling, magistrate Klazen said that in considering the principles and the evidence presented and especially considering that bail should not be seen as an anticipatory form of punishment, the granting of bail is not a comment on whether the applicant is guilty or not on the charges he faces. 

The principles of bail dictate that the court will almost always grant bail where possible and will lean in favour of bail and not against it, she stated. 

Although the applicant has a pending matter of a similar offence, she said, it cannot yet be argued that he has a propensity to commit offences, as he has not yet been found guilty of having committed that offence. Furthermore, she said, the court took into account that he has a previous conviction for violating a protection order, but that on his undisputed version it was because he and the complainant were in the same public place and that his bail was continued without further conditions. 

She further said that the court considered the objections to bail and finds that Lukas, on a balance of probabilities is a candidate to be granted bail with appropriate conditions attached to allay the fears of the State and the complainant.     

He was represented by Vernon Lutibezi in his bail application and the prosecution by Naomi Cannife.

- rrouth@nepc.com.na