Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Oshakati High Court on Wednesday ordered Okalongo-based businessman Josua Mwetupunga to pay N$184 700 to a man he shot five years ago.
According to court documents, Mwetupungu–a member of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC)–slapped Walter Mwandingi and shot him through both kneecaps with a firearm.
The incident took place in May 2017 at Okalongo in the Omusati region. IPC fielded Mwetupunga as its candidate for the Okalongo constituency, but lost to Swapo candidate Laurentius Iipinge in last year’s local government elections.
Mwandingi sued Mwetupunga for N$300 000 for the injuries he inflicted. He wanted Mwetupunga to pay him N$150 000 for pain and suffering, N$100 000 for permanent deformity, N$50 000 for humiliation and N$4 720 for damage to his vehicle’s tyres.
However, the court ruled that he be paid N$120 000 for pain and suffering, N$60 000 for permanent deformity and N$4 720 for damage to his vehicle tyres.
It is not yet clear whether Mwetupunga will appeal the case or not. His lawyer Simson Aingura told The Namibian yesterday that they have not yet had time to consider the judgement. Mwetupunga is the third IPC leader to be sued within a period of less than 12 months.
In September last year, IPC spokesperson Immanuel Nashinge landed in hot water after he used the word “prostitute” in a comment about socialite and social media influencer Beata Siteketa, also known as Betty Davids, in a post he made in a Whats-App group discussion.
In February this year, First Lady Monica Geingos sued IPC regional mobiliser for the Ohangwena region Abed Hishoono for N$2,50 000, for making false suggestions, innuendos, insinuations and statements about her in an audio recording.
Pieter Greyling represented Mwandingi while Aingura represented Mwetupunga. In another incident, Immanuel Shikongo is being sued by Mathew Ashipala for N$400 000, for allegedly accusing Ashipala of being homosexual.
Shikongo is a teacher at Otjihozu Primary School at Oshifo near Ruacana. Shikongo made the allegations on social media, and also posted a picture of Ashipala accompanied by defamatory comments.
In the particulars of claim, Ashipala said Shikongo’s comments were false and were made to harm his reputation and dignity. He said on 27 April last year, he [Ashipala] demanded that Shikongo remove the published post and his picture from his Facebook account, however, Shikongo allegedly refused to do so.
Ashipala accused Shikongo of having a tendency of posting similar statements on Facebook relating to other individuals, also claiming that they are homosexuals. Ondangwa-based lawyer Nicky Ngula is representing Ashipala. Shikongo was not reachable for comments yesterday.
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