Loide Jason 

About 15 people who were arrested in connection with illegal land grabbing in Windhoek’s Otjomuise and Mukwanangombe locations last Thursday, were granted bail in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Khomas crime investigations’ coordinator Nikolaus Kupembona said the group was granted bail of between N$300 and N$1 000, while the matter was remanded to 21 October for further police investigations.

“The group of suspects consists of nine males and six females, and all are out on bail,” he added.

Police spokesperson Kauna Shikwambi said the charges against the group ranged from malicious damage to property to assault through threatening, obstructing a police officer in executing their duties as well as attempted arson intended to set police vehicles on fire during the ruckus.

On Wednesday last week, police officers clashed with fuming residents who had illegally occupied land for days in the two locations. 

The standoff led to police chief Sebastian Ndeitunga intervening and threatening to take over the affairs of the Windhoek City Council in an apparent jab at the feuding local authority councillors.

The land grabbers have been clearing land intermittently for weeks. Some of the people were reacting to the police with rocks, but they were quickly dispersed with teargas.

The Special Reserve Force also demolished structures that had been put up illegally by land grabbers at the Mukwanangobe informal settlement in Windhoek’s Tobias Hainyeko constituency.

-ljason@nepc.com.na