High Court Awards Damages to Amushelelo and Nauyoma Over 2023 Protest Arrests
By Aneli Fura
The High Court has ordered former Namibian Police Inspector General Joseph Shikongo and the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security to compensate social activists Michael Amushelelo and Dimbulukeni Nauyoma for their arrest, detention and prosecution following an anti-unemployment protest in 2023.
In a judgment delivered on Wednesday, the court awarded Amushelelo N$300,000 in damages, while Nauyoma was granted N$80,000. The government was also ordered to cover the legal costs of the case.
The matter arose from the activists’ arrest during a demonstration against unemployment held in Windhoek on 21 March 2023. The protest coincided with Namibia’s Independence Day celebrations and was subsequently cancelled by then police chief Shikongo.
Amushelelo and Nauyoma challenged their arrest, detention and prosecution, arguing that their constitutional rights had been infringed upon.
Reacting to the ruling, the activists’ lawyer, Kadhila Amoomo, described the judgment as a landmark decision for civil liberties in Namibia.
“This is a watershed judgment in the history of Namibia because it speaks to the right to assemble and protest,” Amoomo said.
The ruling is expected to have significant implications for the protection of constitutional rights, particularly the freedoms of assembly and expression.
