Oshakati community plans to protest bail for human trafficking suspects

OSHAKATI, 30 SEP – Residents of Oshakati plan to stage a demonstration on Tuesday to oppose the granting of bail to the suspects in a case of kidnapping and human trafficking.
Sylvia Bonifatius, 20, and the 32-year-old Jakob van Zyl made a brief appearance in the Oshakati Magistrate’s Court last Thursday and their case was adjourned to 02 October, when they will lodge their formal bail application.
The two are accused of kidnapping a 14-year-old girl from Oshakati and keeping her at Van Zyl’s house in Ondangwa against her will. She was allegedly held there for a day before being rescued by the police, who were contacted by her parents.
It is alleged that Bonifatius approached the teenager and handed her over to Van Zyl.
The girl’s father told Nampa they understand the culprits planned to take his daughter to Henties Bay.
“A number of people from in and around Oshakati have approached me, telling me that they will stage a peaceful demonstration on the day the two suspects appear in court to lodge their formal bail application,” said the victim’s father, who asked to remain anonymous.
He said the demonstrators plan to march from NamPost in Oshakati East to the Oshakati Magistrate’s Court.
Local businessman Sigo Amunyela, one of the organisers of the demonstration, told this news agency on Friday he has spoken to a number of sympathisers.
“They are supportive and they sympathise with the family of the victim, a 14-year-old child, who is now traumatised because of alleged sexual violence she went through while they held her hostage,” he said.
Amunyela said the community is particularly disturbed by the incident as it took place after a number of other disturbing reports of children being abducted and murdered.
(NAMPA)