Africa-Press – Namibia. CHAIRPERSON of the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority Andrew Naikaku, said police should assist traditional leaders to arrest those who do not show up when summoned to appear in the community court.
Naikaku said when a senior headman asks the police to help arrest the accused, he or she is told to write to a police regional commissioner.
Naikaku said this during a visit by Oshana police commissioner Naftal Sakaria, with Oukwanyama Queen Martha Mwadinomho Kristian Nelumbu, to the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority last week.
Naikaku told the police that the traditional authority is faced with the issue of illegal sand mining, with business people stealing sand from old sandpits at night and depositing it in the oshanas to take in the morning.
“Sand has become a diamond. Our people are extracting sand from old pits without permission. We opened a case with the police against those getting sand from Oshikondailongo village in the Omusati region, but people are still getting sand from there,” Naikaku said.
He suggested that trucks should not be allowed to transport sand after 17h00.
Queen Nelumbu said the police should assign police officers to the community court and the palace when there are meetings, to bring order.
Speaking at the same event, senior headman of the Ohaingu district in the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority, Urias Ndilula said cases of gender-based violence against women and children, stock theft, drug abuse, and illegal sand mining are among those prevalent in the traditional authorities.
He said there are also cases of people stealing matches and canned beef.
All these cases can be brought before judges of the community courts.
“Sometimes when we summon people to the community court, they don’t come, while some who are fined to pay cattle or money don’t pay until they die,” he said.
Ndilula suggested that in cases where an accused person has been summoned to court but does not show up, police should apprehend that accused person.
The director of community courts in the Ministry of Justice, Amalia Nathaniel, told The Namibian last year that community courts are allowed to adjudicate criminal offences, arising from the contravention of customary laws and customs.
In most cases, such offences are limited to theft, common assault, neglecting children, as well as inheritance issues.
These courts also have jurisdiction over matters such as customary unions, and delicts such as adultery or the failure to pay lobola, among others.
Naikaku said when a senior headman asks the police to help arrest the accused, he or she is told to write to a police regional commissioner.
Naikaku said this during a visit by Oshana police commissioner Naftal Sakaria, with Oukwanyama Queen Martha Mwadinomho Kristian Nelumbu, to the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority last week.
Naikaku told the police that the traditional authority is faced with the issue of illegal sand mining, with business people stealing sand from old sandpits at night and depositing it in the oshanas to take in the morning.
“Sand has become a diamond. Our people are extracting sand from old pits without permission. We opened a case with the police against those getting sand from Oshikondailongo village in the Omusati region, but people are still getting sand from there,” Naikaku said.
He suggested that trucks should not be allowed to transport sand after 17h00.
Queen Nelumbu said the police should assign police officers to the community court and the palace when there are meetings, to bring order.
Speaking at the same event, senior headman of the Ohaingu district in the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority, Urias Ndilula said cases of gender-based violence against women and children, stock theft, drug abuse, and illegal sand mining are among those prevalent in the traditional authorities.
He said there are also cases of people stealing matches and canned beef.
All these cases can be brought before judges of the community courts.
“Sometimes when we summon people to the community court, they don’t come, while some who are fined to pay cattle or money don’t pay until they die,” he said.
Ndilula suggested that in cases where an accused person has been summoned to court but does not show up, police should apprehend that accused person.
The director of community courts in the Ministry of Justice, Amalia Nathaniel, told The Namibian last year that community courts are allowed to adjudicate criminal offences, arising from the contravention of customary laws and customs.
In most cases, such offences are limited to theft, common assault, neglecting children, as well as inheritance issues.
These courts also have jurisdiction over matters such as customary unions, and delicts such as adultery or the failure to pay lobola, among others.
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