Meyer’s bail angers Mariental
Tjombe to lead lawsuit against farmer
Meyer allegedly ran over a girl who was among people harvesting beans at his plot without his permission.
The southern town of Mariental was a hive of protests against the court’s decision to grant bail to local farmer Johan Meyer on the same day he was arrested for allegedly chasing and driving over 9-year-old Hendrina Amupolo, who was allegedly picking beans from his farm with her mother without permission.
Kauna Shikwambi, the Namibian Police spokesperson, said that the deceased, her mother and several other people were allegedly collecting beans from the suspect’s field without his consent.
The incident happened on Sunday, 1 May, on Plot K11 at the Hardap Irrigation Scheme on the outskirts of Mariental.
Shikwambi said that the suspect spotted them and chased them with his Toyota Land Cruiser.
“The deceased then fell and the vehicle drove over Hendrina Amupolo, which caused internal injuries and later succumbed to her injuries at the Mariental State Hospital,” Shikwambi said.
Residents of Mariental protested on Friday, demanding justice for Amupolo.
Her mother, Anne-Marie !Aochamus, said Meyer first chased her sister’s son with his car but she begged him to stop.
The suspect then sped away towards where Amupolo was standing and as !Aochamus asked her daughter to run towards her, the car was too fast and Amupolo never reached her mother’s arms.
“I decided to take my children with me to collect beans as I saw other people doing it and thought it would not be a problem,” the jobless mother said.
“You cried and ran towards me. The struggle of joblessness caused this mess, my child,” !Aochamus said.
Court appearance
Meyer was arrested on Tuesday last week after witness statements were taken.
On the same day Meyer made his first court appearance, he was granted bail of N$3 000. The fact that his wife, Anita Meyer, is deputy prosecutor-general based in the jurisdiction of the court has also unsettled demonstrators, who demanded that she recuse herself from the matter. It is not clear what dealings, if any, Anita Meyer played in the Amupolo matter.
The fact that Meyer was only arrested two days after he killed the girl also did not sit well with the residents, who charged that he was getting special treatment.
Tjombe jumps on the bandwagon
Human rights lawyer Norman Tjombe will separately institute a civil matter against Meyer, on instruction of the girl’s family.
Tjombe told Namibian Sun over the weekend that he will also file a suit against the investigator and the prosecutors involved, to ensure that the case is properly and correctly investigated.
“There must be compensation for this family for the pain they have suffered. I will then ensure that both the criminal prosecution and the civil law suit can and will run concurrently,” Tjombe said.
The case was postponed to 24 August 2022 to allow for further investigations.
Kauna Shikwambi, the Namibian Police spokesperson, said that the deceased, her mother and several other people were allegedly collecting beans from the suspect’s field without his consent.
The incident happened on Sunday, 1 May, on Plot K11 at the Hardap Irrigation Scheme on the outskirts of Mariental.
Shikwambi said that the suspect spotted them and chased them with his Toyota Land Cruiser.
“The deceased then fell and the vehicle drove over Hendrina Amupolo, which caused internal injuries and later succumbed to her injuries at the Mariental State Hospital,” Shikwambi said.
Residents of Mariental protested on Friday, demanding justice for Amupolo.
Her mother, Anne-Marie !Aochamus, said Meyer first chased her sister’s son with his car but she begged him to stop.
The suspect then sped away towards where Amupolo was standing and as !Aochamus asked her daughter to run towards her, the car was too fast and Amupolo never reached her mother’s arms.
“I decided to take my children with me to collect beans as I saw other people doing it and thought it would not be a problem,” the jobless mother said.
“You cried and ran towards me. The struggle of joblessness caused this mess, my child,” !Aochamus said.
Court appearance
Meyer was arrested on Tuesday last week after witness statements were taken.
On the same day Meyer made his first court appearance, he was granted bail of N$3 000. The fact that his wife, Anita Meyer, is deputy prosecutor-general based in the jurisdiction of the court has also unsettled demonstrators, who demanded that she recuse herself from the matter. It is not clear what dealings, if any, Anita Meyer played in the Amupolo matter.
The fact that Meyer was only arrested two days after he killed the girl also did not sit well with the residents, who charged that he was getting special treatment.
Tjombe jumps on the bandwagon
Human rights lawyer Norman Tjombe will separately institute a civil matter against Meyer, on instruction of the girl’s family.
Tjombe told Namibian Sun over the weekend that he will also file a suit against the investigator and the prosecutors involved, to ensure that the case is properly and correctly investigated.
“There must be compensation for this family for the pain they have suffered. I will then ensure that both the criminal prosecution and the civil law suit can and will run concurrently,” Tjombe said.
The case was postponed to 24 August 2022 to allow for further investigations.
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