WINDHOEK – Human rights advocate Phil ya Nangoloh continued with his testimony in the treason case and says the Namibian government is “occupying the Zambezi Region, former Caprivi Region unlawfully.”
Responding to a question from one of the defence lawyers Profysen Muluti, ya Nangoloh said the occupation is illegal and that when the attacks in the Caprivi Region took place in 1999, and people were fleeing, those “people were fleeing oppression.”
There are already 43 individuals accused in the case who were discharged by the court for lack of evidence, after 81 of the accused lodged an application in February 2012 to be discharged due to the absence of evidence.
There are 65 defendants still in custody facing charges of secession and treason, among them John Samboma, alleged to be the commander of the so-called Caprivi Liberation Army (CLA) and former DTA parliamentarian Geoffrey Mwilima.
They are all said to have played a role in the bloody attacks on the Katima Mulilo police station and the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) regional office on August 02, 1999. The men are accused of having taken part in a conspiracy to secede the Zambezi Region, formerly known as the Caprivi Region.
Judge Elton Hoff is presiding, while Deputy Prosecutor-Generals Herman January and Taswald July represent the State in the protracted trial.
The defence lawyers are Patrick Kauta, Greyson Nyoni, George Neves, Clive Kavendjii, Profysen Muluti, Jonathan Samukange, Victor Kachaka, Percy McNally, Hennie Kruger and Ilse Agenbach. The trial continues.
By Tunomukwathi Asino