Ondangwa lower court bogged down
A broken recording device at the Ondangwa Magistrate's Court has led to the postponement of cases since the middle of 2015.
The Ondangwa Magistrate's Court is reportedly postponing cases because of a broken recording device in one of its two courtrooms.
The three magistrates employed at the court have to share a single courtroom, Court A, as it is the only court with a functioning recording device. The device in Court B broke mid-2015.
On Thursday last week, Magistrate Jurina Hochobes was giving reasons for the seventh postponement of Congolese pastor Pedro Marcelino Moussongela's bail hearing. The broken recording device was listed as the main cause.
Moussongela, who is in custody on charges of human trafficking, rape and assault by threat, was due to appear in the Ondangwa court for the continuation of his bail hearing that started on 31 August last year. This time, it was postponed to 23 February.
On Thursday, the court ran out of time to continue with Moussongela's hearing. He appeared late in the afternoon, only to be informed that the case was postponed due to a case overload in the sole functional court.
“We could not continue with the bail hearing today because the court had too many cases today, and we only have one courtroom for recording. The recording device at the other court is not functioning.
“We will postpone the bail hearing continuation to 23 February. On that day we are going to postpone most of the cases to get enough time for this one,” Magistrate Hochobes told the court.
Moussongela's case was first heard in Court B on 24 June last year, but was transferred to A Court on 31 August because the recording device was broken.
Since then the case could only be heard in the afternoon.
A source at court told Namibian Sun that all cases were being transferred to A Court. That has allegedly caused tension among the magistrates, as the other two have to wait until the A Court magistrate finishes all the cases on the roll.
“Due to limited time, magistrates end up postponing cases. They do not get enough time in the afternoon to finish with their cases,” the source said.
Moussongela (56), founder of the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church, Mennonite Brethren Community School Namibia and Ongenga English Private School, was arrested on 23 June at his Omafo School following new charges laid against him by a complainant who reported him to NamRights.
At the time of his arrest in the north, he was out on bail after a first appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court where he appeared on charges of having trafficked five of his own children to England.
He allegedly had delegated someone to drop off three of these children, who are all under the age of 12, in London.
ILENI NANDJATO
The three magistrates employed at the court have to share a single courtroom, Court A, as it is the only court with a functioning recording device. The device in Court B broke mid-2015.
On Thursday last week, Magistrate Jurina Hochobes was giving reasons for the seventh postponement of Congolese pastor Pedro Marcelino Moussongela's bail hearing. The broken recording device was listed as the main cause.
Moussongela, who is in custody on charges of human trafficking, rape and assault by threat, was due to appear in the Ondangwa court for the continuation of his bail hearing that started on 31 August last year. This time, it was postponed to 23 February.
On Thursday, the court ran out of time to continue with Moussongela's hearing. He appeared late in the afternoon, only to be informed that the case was postponed due to a case overload in the sole functional court.
“We could not continue with the bail hearing today because the court had too many cases today, and we only have one courtroom for recording. The recording device at the other court is not functioning.
“We will postpone the bail hearing continuation to 23 February. On that day we are going to postpone most of the cases to get enough time for this one,” Magistrate Hochobes told the court.
Moussongela's case was first heard in Court B on 24 June last year, but was transferred to A Court on 31 August because the recording device was broken.
Since then the case could only be heard in the afternoon.
A source at court told Namibian Sun that all cases were being transferred to A Court. That has allegedly caused tension among the magistrates, as the other two have to wait until the A Court magistrate finishes all the cases on the roll.
“Due to limited time, magistrates end up postponing cases. They do not get enough time in the afternoon to finish with their cases,” the source said.
Moussongela (56), founder of the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church, Mennonite Brethren Community School Namibia and Ongenga English Private School, was arrested on 23 June at his Omafo School following new charges laid against him by a complainant who reported him to NamRights.
At the time of his arrest in the north, he was out on bail after a first appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court where he appeared on charges of having trafficked five of his own children to England.
He allegedly had delegated someone to drop off three of these children, who are all under the age of 12, in London.
ILENI NANDJATO
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article