Amushelelo and co accused appear before court

Amushelelo and co-accused appear before court
Zorena Jantze
TENSIONS are high at the Katutura Magistrate’s Court today as crowds gathered to witness political activist Michael Amushelelo and seven others appear before the court.
The matter was postponed until 14:00 so that the defence team can study the charges as they claim that they only received it late.
The activist appeared alongside Dimbulukweni Nauyoma, AR activist, as well as Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters president Epafras Mukwiilongo, and five other protestors who blocked the entrance of China Town on Friday.
Amushelelo and his cohorts mostly face charges of incitement to commit an offence as well as public violence after they protested against Chinese business operations which they claim sell counterfeit goods but received preferential treatment from the government.
The six protestors and the NEFF president arrested on Friday were released on a warning while the State is objecting to the bail of Amushelelo and Nauyoma.
The State based their objections to bail on the fact that investigations are still in an early stage, the seriousness of the charges, possible interference of the accused in police investigations and that it would not be in the interest to release the two on bail.
The state further requested that the case be postponed to 5 July 2022 for police investigations to be concluded.
The case is continuing at the Katutura Magistrate’s Court as Amushelelo and Nauyoma await their bail judgement.
COURT: Some scenes from the Katutura Magistrate’s Court. Video: Samuel Shinedima