WINDHOEK SELMA IKELA
The head of the Katutura police has testified in the local magistrate's court yesterday that no motorist or other member of the public had reported being obstructed by the struggle kids while they occupied land near the Swapo headquarters.
Chief inspector Ismael Basson, under cross-examination in the Katutura Magistrate's Court, also confirmed that no member of the public had laid criminal charges against the struggle kids.
He was testifying in the trial of the 178 children of the liberation who face charges of loitering, contempt of court and trespassing.
They are accused of unlawfully camping on City of Windhoek land near the Swapo headquarters in Katutura.
Basson was asked by defence attorney Titus Iipumbu whether he was aware which charges were laid against struggle kids by the City of Windhoek, to which he responded that they were the charges before the court.
Iipumbu then put it to Basson that the charge of trespassing had been withdrawn when Prosecutor-General Martha Imalwa had initially refused to prosecute the struggle kids in April.
Basson replied: “Yes.”
Iipumbu then asked what Basson would say if the City of Windhoek testified that the criminal cases it opened had not been loitering and contempt of court.
Basson said: “I will not say anything.”
The police chief said during April the struggle kids had been warned that they would face arrest again if they occupied land close to the Swapo headquarters, as well as any other council land, illegally.
Iipumbu said the April court order had mentioned two specific erven - on the corner of Hans-Dietrich Genscher streets and Leonard Auala - close to the Swapo headquarters.
Basson said: “I am aware of that.”
The trial was postponed until August 3, when it will run until August 6.
Ivan Gawanab is the presiding magistrate and Hans Thourob is representing the State.
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