Categories

Namibia: Murder Suspect in Court

WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.

Original Post Date: 2010-07-30 Time: 10:00:02  Posted By: News Poster

By Alvine Kapitako

Windhoek – Scores of angry demonstrators including learners and staff of Dawid Bezuidenhout High School, flocked to the Katutura Magistrate’s Court yesterday where Junias Phillipus, accused of raping and killing Magdalena Stoffels, appeared before magistrate Gerrit Van Pletzen.

Stoffels was a Grade 11 learner at Dawid Bezuidenhout High School. Van Pletzen said it was not in the interest of society or the administration of justice for the accused to be granted bail. He said Phillipus has a right to apply for legal representation, but Phillipus declined, saying he would represent himself.

With tight security around the court, a stern Van Platzen ordered a University of Namibia student (UNAM) who took a photograph in court to be ejected. Sympathisers from all walks of life made their way to the magistrate’s court from as early as 08h00. Students from UNAM staged a demonstration after which SRC president Willem Amu-tenya read a petition, condemning the “events surrounding the passing on of hardworking and innocent Magdalena Stoffels”.

He handed the petition to Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare (MGECW), Doreen Sioka. Shortly afterwards, another crowd, with weeping women carrying a coffin, arrived and demanded that they see the suspect.

In the petition, Amu-tenya extended sympathy to the deceased’s family and relatives and the nation and urged the MGECW to work closely with the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Safety and Security, as well as the Namibian police, “specifically to ensure that all Namibian police officers are aware of the law’s applicability to the community at large and to be more vigilant”.

They asked for the establishment of an Office on Violence, which he said, should be responsible for the implementation of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act and Policies that fall under the jurisdiction of the ministry.

“This will mean that more strength and co-ordination will be had in the existing Women and Child Protection Units under the Ministry of Safety and Security,” said Amutenya. Government, Amutenya said, should also look into employment creation, especially for the youth. He said often rapists and perpetrators of violence against women and children fall in the group classified as “unemployed or unemployable”.

“This is one of the criminological factors which the Government should not ignore. Frustrations of life, idleness, love of money and lack of entertainment are all factors which can contribute to an environment which is a breeding ground for criminal behaviour,” said Amutenya.

In response to the crowd’s demands, the minister said she sympathised with the demonstrators, adding should the accused be found guilty, strict measures should be taken against him. She also expressed sympathy with the family of the late Stoffels.

Drama erupted time and time again at the court, leaving police powerless as the angry demonstrators demanded to see the suspect. Some of the placards read, “Stop violence against children and women” and “We condemn gender-based crimes.”

The case was postponed to September 1.

Original Source: New Era (Windhoek)
Original date published: 30 July 2010

Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201007300724.html?viewall=1