Amushelelo seeks help after wife ‘suffers stroke’
Jailed Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) commissar Michael Amushelelo has made a passionate appeal for Good Samaritans – including volunteer medical doctors – to help his wife Julieta (23), allegedly suffered a stroke last week.
Amushelelo has been in jail since Independence Day this year, when he attempted to lead a protest of unemployed youths – mostly graduates. This marked his fourth arrest this year, all linked to labour issues.
His co-accused in the 21 March arrests, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) parliamentarian Inna Hengari and social justice activist and business partner Dimbulukeni Nauyoma, have both been released on bail.
‘Desperate for help’
Amushelelo, whose lawyer, Sisa Namandje, recently withdrew his services in a separate matter involving forex trading, told Namibian Sun yesterday from the Windhoek Correctional Facility that he lacks the means to ensure proper medical attention for his wife.
"I don’t have any funds and reaching out to the public is the only means I have at my disposal currently," he said.
"My hands are tied behind my back."
He added: "My wife had an MRI scan and is already back home because we don’t have the funds to keep her in hospital. I’m not shy to say that I’m really desperate for any help, even from volunteer doctors, to help her. My wife is stressed, and I’m sure this contributed to her suffering a stroke."
Amushelelo admitted: "A lot is going on in my life right now – including the state wanting to forfeit my assets in the forex matter."
Daunting time
A friend of the jailed activist yesterday told Namibian Sun: "I know him as a strong person, but right now you can see he’s really down. He’s not the Michael that we know. Last week, he had to dispose an affidavit without a lawyer in order to prevent the forfeiture of his assets. It’s the same week his wife suffered a stroke."
Namandje has withdrawn as Amushelelo’s lawyer while the politician is still engaged in a fight against the prosecutor general’s decision to attach his properties.
Apart from labour-related charges, Amushelelo faces 365 counts emanating from his forex trading business, which was pounced upon by authorities – including the Bank of Namibia.
The charges include fraud, or alternatively, theft by false pretences; conducting banking business without authorization; conducting a Ponzi scheme; tax evasion; tax fraud; failure to pay tax; money laundering; and racketeering.
Amushelelo has been in jail since Independence Day this year, when he attempted to lead a protest of unemployed youths – mostly graduates. This marked his fourth arrest this year, all linked to labour issues.
His co-accused in the 21 March arrests, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) parliamentarian Inna Hengari and social justice activist and business partner Dimbulukeni Nauyoma, have both been released on bail.
‘Desperate for help’
Amushelelo, whose lawyer, Sisa Namandje, recently withdrew his services in a separate matter involving forex trading, told Namibian Sun yesterday from the Windhoek Correctional Facility that he lacks the means to ensure proper medical attention for his wife.
"I don’t have any funds and reaching out to the public is the only means I have at my disposal currently," he said.
"My hands are tied behind my back."
He added: "My wife had an MRI scan and is already back home because we don’t have the funds to keep her in hospital. I’m not shy to say that I’m really desperate for any help, even from volunteer doctors, to help her. My wife is stressed, and I’m sure this contributed to her suffering a stroke."
Amushelelo admitted: "A lot is going on in my life right now – including the state wanting to forfeit my assets in the forex matter."
Daunting time
A friend of the jailed activist yesterday told Namibian Sun: "I know him as a strong person, but right now you can see he’s really down. He’s not the Michael that we know. Last week, he had to dispose an affidavit without a lawyer in order to prevent the forfeiture of his assets. It’s the same week his wife suffered a stroke."
Namandje has withdrawn as Amushelelo’s lawyer while the politician is still engaged in a fight against the prosecutor general’s decision to attach his properties.
Apart from labour-related charges, Amushelelo faces 365 counts emanating from his forex trading business, which was pounced upon by authorities – including the Bank of Namibia.
The charges include fraud, or alternatively, theft by false pretences; conducting banking business without authorization; conducting a Ponzi scheme; tax evasion; tax fraud; failure to pay tax; money laundering; and racketeering.
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