Supreme Court reserves judgment on the Caprivi 13

The Namibian Supreme Court has reserved judgment on a government appeal to overrule a High Court decision that freed 13 people accused of treason. The 13 were part of a group of 120 arrested for allegedly taking part in secessionist violence led by the Caprivi Liberation Army (CLA), which attacked Katimo Mulilo, the largest town in the northeastern Caprivi region, in August 1999. The 13 accused, including John Samboma, the alleged commander of the CLA, were released at the end of February following an order by Judge Elton Hoff at the High Court in Grootfontein, 500 km north of Windhoek. He ruled that his court did not have the jurisdiction to try the men because the circumstances under which they had been held were "irregular". The 13 were re-arrested on being released. After a bench of five judges had heard arguments from both sides during the past two days, Acting Chief Justice Johan Strydom announced on Tuesday that the Supreme Court was going to reserve its judgment. Government counsel Jeremy Gauntlett argued earlier this week that, since the main Caprivi treason trial was set to resume in the High Court in Grootfontein on 1 June, the Supreme Court's judgment affecting the future of the 13 accused would be desirable before then. Although the accused were arrested four and a half years ago, the main treason trial only began towards the end of last year. "Before the end of last year, the accused did not even have legal representation," said defence counsel Patrick Kauta.