Four members of NNF's Executive Committee are due to appear in the Windhoek Regional Court on 15 September, on charges of fraud arising out of the detention of an NNF youth leader, Albertus KANGUOTUI. The trial is a sequel to certain allegations made by the four - Tjeripo NGARINGOMBE, Ms Nora CHASE (an employee of the Namibia Council of Churches), David KASUME and Reinhard RUKORO, the NNF Publicity and Information Secretary - in a sworn affidavit and letter sent to the Administrator General's office, implicating the security police in torture and assault.
At a press conference at its Windhoek office on 22 July, the NNF alleged that Kanguootui had been rushed to Katutura hospital on 15 July, a few days after being detained. Kanguootui had allegedly told the NNF leadership that he had been brutally assaulted in detention, to the extent of incurring paralysis of his left side and the loss of the full use of his left arm and leg, and that he was in poor mental shape as a result. Kanguootui had also allegedly been deprived of food and drink and had been threatened by his interrogators.
The fraud charges subsequently laid against the NNF leaders allege that the accused had, by false pretences, been intent to induce the Administrator General to accept and believe that Kanguootui had been brutally assaulted by a member or members of the police force or other government officials. This would have been prejudicial to the police or official concerned.
A medical report on Kanguootui was later submitted to the Administrator General, while Kanguootui himself was removed to Pretoria for medical tests in the Voortrekkerhoogte military hospital.
In a press release, the Administrator General stated that he viewed allegations of the kind made by the NNF extremely seriously, and that he was not prepared to tolerate such a situation without having the allegations tested and the truth investigated in court. Should they be found to be false the necessary steps would be taken.
Detailed evidence of torture and assault by members of the police and army, supported by sworn affidavits in many cases, has been collected over the years by various bodies in Namibia, notably the church. In the past, the SA authorities, including the Administrator General, have always refused to mount any investigation of such charges.
