Opposition leader criticised for comments about judge

Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leader Job Amupanda faces criticism for accusing High Court judge Shafimana Ueitele of ‘mishandling’ his redline removal trial, reports The Namibian. Amupanda, who is also an incoming Member of Parliament, wants the court to declare Namibia’s veterinary cordon fence (redline) unconstitutional. The fence blocks northern and north-eastern farmers from the lucrative meat market in central Namibia over fear of spreading illnesses like foot-and-mouth disease. Amupanda has in the past described the redline as an injustice from the apartheid era against northerners. In a series of statements, Amupanda has questioned Ueitele’s objectivity after revelations that the first defendant in the redline case, Minister of Agriculture, Water & Land Reform Calle Schlettwein, granted Ueitele – together with hundreds of other farm owners – a land tax exemption in August 2024. Amupanda claimed Ueitele and his family have benefitted from government farms. Legal experts, however, said his sentiments about Ueitele are uncalled for. Lawyer Norman Tjombe said while any member of the public has the right to freedom of expression and speech, critique of the conduct of a judge or rulings of a court must be done in an appropriate manner. The comments and statements against Ueitele are dangerous, and have the effect of eroding the public trust in the institution of the court, he said, adding that article 78 of Namibia’s Constitution warned against interference in the judicial functions of judges. However, former ombudsman John Walters said judges and magistrates are not above criticism. ‘But when these criticisms are regarded as insults of ridicule to a presiding judge or magistrate (…) the presiding officer must take immediate action and punish the person for contempt of court,’ he said.