The Namibian Correctional Service has extended its community service orders programme to the Luderitz Magistrate's Court and Aus Periodical Court.
The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security, Lucia Witbooi, officially launched the programme's expansion at Luderitz.
A community service order is a court directive requiring an offender to perform unpaid work for the benefit of the community as an alternative to incarceration.
Eligible for the programme are first-time offenders, repeat offenders with minor offences, individuals with a fixed residence, young offenders, and those convicted of non-serious crimes such as shoplifting, crimen injuria, common assault, and contempt of court.
"I am proud to share that the issuing of community service orders has since become operational in all 14 of our political regions. Thus far, the programme has been rolled out to 58 of 71 targeted courts nationwide, representing 81.7% as per the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security's strategic plan and the ministry commits itself to cover the remaining 13 courts by end of 2027 and 2028 financial year," said Deputy Minister Witbooi.
She also urged all stakeholders to ensure offenders slapped with community service sentences as an alternative to incarceration feel welcome.
Judiciary officials provided an overview of the courts' role in community service orders.
"From the court's perspective, community service usually sometimes starts at the prompting of the prosecutor to submit a request to the court to consider community service. At times, it is also prompted by the accused person himself, whereby they request community to be considered. But that having been done, the court can also consider the imposition of community service," said Stanley Tembwe, Divisional Magistrate at the Keetmanshoop Magistrates Division.
Statistics indicate that since 2010, 3,500 offenders have been sentenced to community service.
Of this total, 3,172 offenders successfully completed their community service orders.
Over the last three years, 80 offenders disobeyed their community service orders, leading to the arrest of 58 for non-compliance.
Currently, 62 offenders are actively serving community service sentences.
"While the arrest rate will surely improve, this statistic highlights the programme's success in ensuring that those not complying with their release conditions are brought to book. This is just our assurance to our bosses to say to them, Yes, please send them; if they breach, we will still apprehend them and will bring them to our facility to serve their sentence if they are not complying with the order," explained Raphael Hamunyela, Commissioner-General of the Namibian Correctional Service.