Andreas Johnny HEITA, whose assault by a South African policeman was the subject of horrific revelations in the Windhoek Supreme Court in February, was sentenced on 22 May to a prison term of 18 years. Heita (23) was one of eight Namibians on trial for their alleged support of SWAPO's armed struggle. Five others received prison sentences of between 12 years and 18 months.
When the trial reconvened on 21 May Justice Levy delivered a detailed judgement lasting some six hours. Two of the accused, Petrus Kakede NANGOMBE (23) and Andreas Gideon TONGENI (23) were acquitted and most of the charges against the other defendants were dropped. Heita, Salomo PAULUS (27) and Martin AKWEENDA (23) were all convicted of contravening Section 2 of the Terrorism Act, but acquitted of all other charges. Gabriel MATHEUS (23), Johannes NANGOLO (33) and Sagaria Shipanga Balakius NAMWANDI (18) were convicted solely of possessing explosives.
Heita, a trained medical worker, and Paulus were both found to be PLAN combatants who had undergone military training in Angola. Paulus' role was mainly to make explosives available for sabotage actions and to recruit people to undertake these. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment.
Johannes Nangolo, a builder from Oniipa, was sentenced to 12 years for the possession and transport of explosives. Martin Akweenda, also from Oniipa, was sentenced to 10 years for 'terrorism'. Gabriel Matheus was found guilty of hiding explosives in the Windhoek area and was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment. The youngest accused, eighteen year old Sagarias Shipanga Balakius Namwandi, was sentenced to three years of which 18 months was suspended.
A young man whose hand was mutilated in an explosion in July 1986 has been sentenced to an effective prison term of three years after being convicted of sabotage. Gabriel NDAPUKA (23) pleaded not guilty to the charge before Justice Strydom in the Windhoek Supreme Court in May. It was alleged that he had undergone training in northern Namibia in the use of plastic explosives and had transported them to Windhoek for the purposes of sabotage. On 28 July he planted explosives at an electricity distribution point in a Katutura street 'to put out of order the supply of light and/or power'. He activated a detonator connected to the timing device which then exploded in his hand. The explosives themselves did not go off. However, he suffered serious injuries and had to have three fingers amputated.
Evans Salwindi SIMASIKU (25) from Katima Mulilo in the Caprivi bantustan was convicted of sabotage in the Windhoek Supreme Court on 12 May and sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment. Simasiku pleaded guilty to sabotaging the Caprivi Second Tier Administration Building on 25 March 1985, causing R107,000 worth of damage to the building, and slightly injuring three people.
The number of people detained, particularly in northern Namibia, continues to grow although the names of only a few have been publicised. KASHIMA, Oskar Joel (28) from Onangalo was detained on 22 March. ELAGO, Tobias Hagai was detained on 28 April after wounding a soldier involved in an attack on Okambembe school. AMUKWA, Thomas and MICHAEL, Frans were reported on 1 May as being held under Section 6 of the Terrorism Act. SHIUEDHA, Suzana, a teacher, was detained on 7 May at the Ontuli Combined School where she worked. IILENGE, David; ITENGULA, Caleb; PETRUS, David; SHOPALA, Diogenus; SHOPALA, January; and UUTONI, David were all reported in detention in early May.
The following detainees were released by the end of April: ENDJALA, Taimi; LUKAS, Abner; NUUGULU, Absolom David; SHANINGI, Eva; SHOOME, Isak.
