Incest suspect at root of corruption case sent to jail

A BUSINESSMAN whose arrest on suspicion of rape and incest turned into the genesis of a corruption case that ended in the former Public Prosecutor of the Outapi Magistrate’s Court being jailed for five years has himself been sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment.

Having been arrested on April 1 2005 on a charge of rape, with his then 19-year-old daughter the complainant, the now 42-year-old businessman was released on bail of N$1 000 on May 20 2005, despite his daughter’s objections to his release. Following his release, the case against the suspect was withdrawn again – according to his daughter after he had apologised to her.That withdrawal was not the end of the case though, as it went on to have wider repercussions not only for the suspect himself, but also for three officials stationed at the Outapi Magistrate’s Court.The charge this week returned to haunt the suspect in the Oshakati Regional Court, where Magistrate AK Simpson convicted him of rape and sentenced him to 12 years’ imprisonment on Tuesday.He had been charged with raping his daughter at a village in the Omusati Region on March 31 2005.The accused man pleaded not guilty, and has indicated that he plans to appeal against the court’s judgement, Nampa reports.For three court officials who had been involved in the suspect’s release on bail, what had started out as a rape case has already ended in a corruption trial in the High Court in Windhoek.When it emerged that the suspect had been released on bail without appearing before a Magistrate to be granted bail, and claims emerged that a payment of N$7 000 had been solicited from the suspect’s wife in order to arrange for his release on bail, the then Public Prosecutor at the Outapi Magistrate’s Court, Stanley Nakale, and two court clerks were arrested and charged with corruption and other charges.The trial of Nakale and his co-accused ended in the High Court in early June this year with Nakale, who had been convicted on four counts of corruption and a charge of defeating the course of justice, being sentenced to an effective five-year prison term.His co-accused were sentenced to suspended prison terms and fines of N$5 000 and N$3 000.Nakale was convicted of corruption after the court found that he had solicited and accepted a payment of N$7 000 from the suspect’s wife in order to arrange that the suspect be released on bail.Own Report, NampaFollowing his release, the case against the suspect was withdrawn again – according to his daughter after he had apologised to her.That withdrawal was not the end of the case though, as it went on to have wider repercussions not only for the suspect himself, but also for three officials stationed at the Outapi Magistrate’s Court.The charge this week returned to haunt the suspect in the Oshakati Regional Court, where Magistrate AK Simpson convicted him of rape and sentenced him to 12 years’ imprisonment on Tuesday.He had been charged with raping his daughter at a village in the Omusati Region on March 31 2005.The accused man pleaded not guilty, and has indicated that he plans to appeal against the court’s judgement, Nampa reports.For three court officials who had been involved in the suspect’s release on bail, what had started out as a rape case has already ended in a corruption trial in the High Court in Windhoek.When it emerged that the suspect had been released on bail without appearing before a Magistrate to be granted bail, and claims emerged that a payment of N$7 000 had been solicited from the suspect’s wife in order to arrange for his release on bail, the then Public Prosecutor at the Outapi Magistrate’s Court, Stanley Nakale, and two court clerks were arrested and charged with corruption and other charges.The trial of Nakale and his co-accused ended in the High Court in early June this year with Nakale, who had been convicted on four counts of corruption and a charge of defeating the course of justice, being sentenced to an effective five-year prison term.His co-accused were sentenced to suspended prison terms and fines of N$5 000 and N$3 000.Nakale was convicted of corruption after the court found that he had solicited and accepted a payment of N$7 000 from the suspect’s wife in order to arrange that the suspect be released on bail.Own Report, Nampa