Iuze Mukube

A roundup of reported cases from Namibian courts this week:

Amushelelo

The Windhoek High Court has ordered self-styled social activist Michael Amushelelo to apologise and stop publishing defamatory statements about former police inspector general Joseph Shikongo. The order follows his conviction for contempt of court after he deliberately breached a 2024 settlement, which had been made an order of court in a defamation case. Amushelelo received a one-month prison sentence, suspended for one year on condition that he is not found in contempt during that period.

He must also issue a “formal, unequivocal and unqualified written apology”, acknowledging that his statements violated the 2024 court order and unreservedly retracting all allegations made against Shikongo in a Facebook post dated 31 March 2025.

Murangi’s murder trial

Former gym instructor Tjizake Murangi, who is accused of the murder of his former girlfriend, will have to reapply for a State-funded lawyer after his defence lawyer, Milton Engelbrecht, withdrew from the matter due to conflicting instructions this week in the Windhoek High Court.

Murangi faces various charges, including murder, housebreaking with intent to murder, assault, fraud, two counts of theft, two counts of forgery and uttering a forged document. It is alleged that Murangi broke into Frieda Amadhila’s flat in Windhoek and stabbed her at least 15 times with a knife in April 2024. It is also alleged that he fraudulently sold communal land to Amadhila and stole four heads of cattle belonging to her and her sister.

IGP sued

Cornelius Johannes Kisting, a self-employed transport operator, is suing the Inspector General of the Namibian Police Force and other defendants for N$2.1 million over what he alleges was an unlawful arrest, detention and seizure of his property. The plaintiff claims he was arrested without a warrant or reasonable grounds while transporting passengers from Rehoboth to Windhoek.

He claims the charges were maliciously motivated by a dispute involving his late brother’s estate. Kisting is seeking over N$2 million in damages, including compensation for wrongful arrest and detention, property seizure, loss of income, injury to dignity and legal expenses.

Family sues 

A grandfather, Simon Nambuli, is suing the government and several officials for more than N$10 million over the alleged negligent death of his three-year-old grandchild, Nambuli Meriam Lipita, who was reportedly knocked down by a vehicle in December 2014. Nambuli and the child’s father, Lesley Nambuli, alleged that the collision was caused by negligent and reckless driving by police officers who allegedly drove at excessive speed, failed to keep a proper lookout and failed to avoid the collision.

They further claim that authorities failed to properly investigate the incident, communicate the outcome or offer condolences or redress to the family. He is claiming N$10 046 040 in general damages and N$46 040 in special damages.

Assets frozen

Windhoek High Court Judge Lotta Ambunda has confirmed an order that directed the preservation of N$49.4 million in eight Namibian bank accounts linked to Aranos farm owner Jacobus Jordaan, his wife Elza and their entities. The order follows allegations that the funds were proceeds of illegal coal mining at Farm Witkranz in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province.

About 270 000 tonnes of coal, valued at approximately N$264 million, were allegedly mined illegally between November 2021 and September 2023. The Prosecutor General alleged that N$66.7 million was transferred from the Jordaans’ South African accounts to Namibian accounts, with N$49.4 million subsequently preserved under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.

The Jordaans face fraud, theft and money-laundering charges in South Africa, while a Namibian money-laundering case was registered in December 2024.