Amushelelo gets trial date on public violence charges

Investment scheme operator-turned-social activist Michael Amushelelo and three co-accused are scheduled to go on trial in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on charges of inciting public violence in May next year.

Amushelelo and City of Windhoek street cleaners Immanuel Mbonda, Alfred Kashimbi Sabas and Padelia Hamukwaya were informed that their trial is due to start on 15 May when they made a court appearance before magistrate Jozanne Klazen yesterday.

They are facing charges of inciting public violence and inciting or instigating public violence, and malicious damage to property, which are offences under the Riotous Assemblies Act of 1956.

They were arrested on 15 February this year, after a public demonstration by striking City of Windhoek street cleaners turned disorderly, with protesters emptying rubbish bins onto streets in the Windhoek city centre.

Amushelelo was granted bail in an amount of N$3 000 after a week in custody.

Mbonda, Sabas and Hamukwaya were released on bail in an amount of N$1 000, also after a week in custody.

On a request from defence lawyer Samuel Kadhila, Klazen scrapped one of Amushelelo’s bail conditions and replaced it with a new condition yesterday.

Amushelelo will no longer be required to report to the investigating officer of his case every Monday, but will have to inform the officer before he leaves the Windhoek district, the magistrate ordered.

Another bail condition – that he may not be charged with a similar offence in any district of Namibia while free on bail in this case – remains unchanged.

Amushelelo is also free on bail in an amount of N$35 000 in a pending High Court case in which he is charged with fraud, money laundering, racketeering and other crimes in connection with an alleged get-rich-quick investment scam that he ran from September 2018 to October 2019.