Court rejects appeal application in treason case

An attempt by the State to appeal the acquittal of 42 of the people prosecuted in the main Caprivi high treason trial has failed in the Windhoek High Court. Acting Judge Ileni Velikoshi ruled that the explanation for the delay between the acquittal and the state's filing of its application to be allowed to appeal ‘was unreasonable and inadequate’. The Namibian reports that more than three years have passed since then High Court judge Elton Hoff acquitted the suspects. Thirty of the accused were convicted of high treason, murder and attempted murder relating to their involvement in an attempt to seize the former Caprivi region from Namibia through an armed rebellion. In December, 2015 they were sentenced to prison terms of between three and 18 years.