Judge refuses to release UNITA representative

Judge President Pio Teek on Wednesday refused to direct the Namibian government to comply with a month-old High Court order for the release of alleged UNITA representative Jose Domingos Sikunda from detention at Rundu, ‘The Namibian’ said on Thursday. Sikunda, a born Angolan who has been living in Namibia for some 25 years, remains in detention at Sarasungu near Rundu despite a High Court order for his release. Acting Judge John Manyarara ordered his immediate release 37 days ago, on 24 October.

Reacting to the outcome of the proceedings in the High Court in Windhoek, the Vice President of the Society of Advocates of Namibia, Susan Vivier, issued a statement on behalf of the Bar Council to voice their gravest concern at the decision of the High Court. “What is clear is that an order of the High Court has been given and that it must be obeyed until it is set aside. The failure of the Judge President to direct compliance with a clear order of the High Court, particularly when that order involves the release of a detainee who is detained without trial, amounts to a travesty of justice and serves to seriously undermine the rule of law and, with it, constitutional governance in Namibia,” the statement said.