Maria Amakali & Paheja Siririka
A local student union has called on the ministry of education to act against all teachers accused of rape and those having sexual relations with pupils should be suspended with immediate effect.
The letter of demand comes just days after a 19-year-old learner was allegedly raped by a teacher at a Windhoek school. The 53-year-old teacher, Nathaniel Kamatuka, who has since resigned from his position, appeared yesterday in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court.
Kamatuka is facing two counts of rape, of which one victim is a minor. It is alleged he sexually violated the victims on 3 February at the Jan Möhr Secondary School premises. During his court appearance, the statement of the 19-year-old victim was read into the record. The victim did not object to Kamatuka being released on bail with conditions attached.
“I do not want him in my environment or at my school. I do not want him to text or call me either,” the victim said in his statement. Despite that, prosecutor Rowan van Wyk informed the court the State does not support the victim’s stance on bail, citing the charges Kamatuka is accused of are of a serious nature and investigations are yet to be completed. Van Wyk added there are seven statements that need to be obtained from learners and associates of the victims.
“There is also the public’s interest to be considered and the issue of gender-based violence, which the court can no longer tolerate,” said Van Wyk.
Magistrate Linus Samunzala granted the State’s application and denied Kamatuka bail.
Before the end of the court session, Kamatuka informed the court he will launch an application for counter-charges.
“I, together with my lawyer, will be launching an application for counter charges because this thing is a plot against me,” echoed Kamatuka. His case has been postponed to 5 March for further investigations and legal aid.
Demonstration
Meanwhile, at a demonstration held at the school yesterday, members of the public and learners of the school protested against the alleged sex crimes, demanding action to be taken against perpetrators.
The protesters also demanded the school’s management to step down for allegedly protecting teachers over the years.
The Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) called for the immediate deployment of social and gender-based violence unit workers to the schools.
Although the demonstration was ignited by the incident, the group is demanding that teachers at all schools implicated in such crimes should be suspended and arrested.
“School are supposed to be safe and not a survival ground – and to find out that various learners have been raped is not only sad but worrisome,” said Feliciano Katombela, a grade 11 learner from Havana Project School, who joined the demonstration in solidarity.
“Any teacher who is found to have done such inhumane acts should never be allowed to teach; he or she should not be allowed near a school premise or learners. Once a rapist, always a rapist. How sure are we that such a perpetrator will not rape other learners at another school?”
The education ministry executive director Sanet Steenkamp said they fully understand the brewing frustration, adding any acts of rape, sexual intimidation and abuse is condemned by the authorities.
“This intrinsic-evil act is the kind of human act that we can never morally justify, irrespective of the circumstances in which it may have occurred,” said Steenkamp. She further said the ministry is busy providing clinical psychological support to the learners. The City of Windhoek deputy mayor Clemmencia Hanases said it is painful to learn the safety of learners, dignity and human rights are violated by those entrusted to educate them.
“Remain calm and allow the course of justice to take its course in the matter that unifies us. Have faith that all perpetrators of the violent crimes against anyone, especially learners, will be brought to justice and that every learner is protected and deserves access to education without fear,” urged Hanases while addressing learners at the school yesterday.
The education inspector in the Khomas region, Milton Ya Otto, said the matter at the school is being addressed.
“The learner in question is already receiving attention and counselling through our school counsellors to provide psycho-social support to those affected learners and teachers. This is not going to be a one-day matter; the team is going to be here for the whole week or more or as time deem it fit,” said Ya Otto.
The school has acknowledged similar incidents have taken place previously but were not reported.
In a statement, the school’s board chairperson, Kenneth Uirab encouraged learners and or anyone with credible information on such incidences to contact the school principal or the police to report such matters so that appropriate action could be taken against the culprits.
“The school board, management and staff wish to assure our learners, parents and all stakeholders, including the general public, that it will do everything humanly possible to avoid and or prevent the re-occurrence of a similar despicable incident in future,” said Uirab.