Judgement in Oshakati human trafficking bail application expected Friday

OSHAKATI, 16 OCT  – Oshakati Chief Magistrate Mika Namweya on Tuesday postponed the bail application hearing in the human trafficking case to Friday for judgement.
This follows a marathon bail hearing here over the past two weeks after suspects Sylvia Bonifatius, 20, and 32-year-old Jakob van Zyl applied for bail.
They were arrested last month and charged with human trafficking after a local 14-year-old learner was abducted from Oshakati and allegedly held captive in a house in Ondangwa.
Bonifatius and Van Zyl are also charged with rape, combating of immoral practices, drugging a female for unlawful carnal intercourse, use of means to stupefy a female for unlawful carnal intercourse and kidnapping.

State prosecutor Chrisna Masule called in human rights practitioner, Phil ya Nangoloh in the first week of the hearing to testify as an expert witness against the bail applications.
“It (human trafficking) is a crime against humanity,” stated Ya Nangoloh.
He told the court that trafficking in persons is an unbearable crime and citing international common law, he said under no circumstances should a suspect be granted bail.
Ya Nangoloh stated that human traffickers threaten the security of the whole public and derogate the freedom of a person.
A local businessman, Sigo Amunyela, led a march of school children, teachers and members of the community in front of the Oshakati Magistrate’s Court during the first day of hearing, demanding that bail be denied.
Bonifatius is represented by Simson Aingura, while Van Zyl is defended by Pieter Greyling.
(NAMPA)