VICTOR NKANDI, a prominent member of SWAPO, was brought before the Windhoek Magistrates Court on 15 July in connection with an allegation of murder. No evidence was led, and Mr. Nkandi was remanded until 27 September for a summary trial in the Windhoek Supreme Court.
Victor Nkandi, described by the Windhoek Advertiser as "one of the five men sought by the Police for the assassination of Ovamboland's Chief Minister, Mr. Filemon Elifas" on 16 August 1975, has been in prison continuously since shortly after that date. He was arrested and detained along with many other SWAPO members and supporters in the weeks following Elifas's death, and in March 1976 was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for refusing to testify against the accused in the trial of Aaron Muchimba, Hendrik Shikongo and others. Axel Johannes, SWAPO's Regional Secretary in Windhoek, was given a similar sentence.
There is evidence that severe torture was used during the period August 1975 to March 1976 when both men were detained without charge or trial. A number of witnesses in the Muchimba-Shikongo trial gave evidence of police brutality. Victor Nkandi told the Swakopmund Supreme Court that he had been chained up, beaten until he lost consciousness, and had water thrown on his face for four days and nights to keep him awake.
In February 1977, on completing their prison terms, both men were immediately rearrested and detained in Ovamboland. It is feared that they may have been subjected to continued torture and ill-treatment since that time. It is believed that Axel Johannes may be brought forward as a state witness against Victor Nkandi in his forthcoming summary trial. Police sources in Ovamboland have stated that Victor Nkandi is to be implicated with being one of Chief Elifas's five co-assassins.
