I’ll see what I can do, says Hakalume
Swapo member Paulus Hakalume, who claimed that a woman in a viral photo - who seems to be receiving a membership card of opposition party Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) - is former Swapo secretary-general Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, said he will decide whether to retract his statement once he has received a lawyer’s letter in which the ex-minister is threatening to sue him.
The former justice minister, through lawyer Kadhila Amoomo, gave Hakalume until 20 June to publicly retract his claims, including calling Iivula-Ithana a ‘hibernator in Swapo’ - or face a lawsuit of N$300 000.
Hakalume, also known as Ndaba Yolupangi, said he would only act on Iivula-Ithana’s demands once he receives the letter from Amoomo.
“What letter? I have not received any letter from them. I only saw people sending me screenshots and calling me about it. They should deliver the letter to my doorstep, then I will see what I can do,” he said.
Audio recordings allegedly made by Hakalume, which are doing the rounds on WhatsApp, claimed Iivula-Ithana has joined IPC and posed for pictures while purporting to be a Swapo member.
Retract, or else
A letter of demand - seen by Namibian Sun - directed at Hakalume on Monday has given him until 20 June to issue a letter of apology to Iivula-Ithana, retracting all allegations he made against her. “Kindly be informed that failure to do so will leave us no option but to approach the High Court and sue you for defamation [of character] in an amount of N$300 000,” it read.
The letter stated that Hakalume deliberately distributed false graphic and verbal defamatory information relating to Iivula-Ithana’s political standing and reputation. It added that Iivula-Ithana’s 'impeccable reputation' is at stake as she has contributed to the country’s liberation struggle and is a former member of parliament who served the Namibian Cabinet in various roles.
“Despite this knowledge, you maliciously authored statements and circulated them on various social media platforms. You stated that our client is a hibernator in the Swapo Party and one of the individuals who funded the [IPC],” the statement read.
The former justice minister, through lawyer Kadhila Amoomo, gave Hakalume until 20 June to publicly retract his claims, including calling Iivula-Ithana a ‘hibernator in Swapo’ - or face a lawsuit of N$300 000.
Hakalume, also known as Ndaba Yolupangi, said he would only act on Iivula-Ithana’s demands once he receives the letter from Amoomo.
“What letter? I have not received any letter from them. I only saw people sending me screenshots and calling me about it. They should deliver the letter to my doorstep, then I will see what I can do,” he said.
Audio recordings allegedly made by Hakalume, which are doing the rounds on WhatsApp, claimed Iivula-Ithana has joined IPC and posed for pictures while purporting to be a Swapo member.
Retract, or else
A letter of demand - seen by Namibian Sun - directed at Hakalume on Monday has given him until 20 June to issue a letter of apology to Iivula-Ithana, retracting all allegations he made against her. “Kindly be informed that failure to do so will leave us no option but to approach the High Court and sue you for defamation [of character] in an amount of N$300 000,” it read.
The letter stated that Hakalume deliberately distributed false graphic and verbal defamatory information relating to Iivula-Ithana’s political standing and reputation. It added that Iivula-Ithana’s 'impeccable reputation' is at stake as she has contributed to the country’s liberation struggle and is a former member of parliament who served the Namibian Cabinet in various roles.
“Despite this knowledge, you maliciously authored statements and circulated them on various social media platforms. You stated that our client is a hibernator in the Swapo Party and one of the individuals who funded the [IPC],” the statement read.
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