The security of judicial officers in Namibia is worrisome, as they are often attacked by family members of accused persons.

Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs, who are gathered at Swakopmund for a stakeholder consultation, are now calling for improved protection of judicial officers.

The meeting is a follow-up to last year's workshop at Tsumeb, where challenges in the legal sector were identified.

"At home, where they sleep, they do not even have protection; they work with dangerous people as well; now it's not only him that is dangerous; their husbands and wives are also in danger; their children who go to school are also in danger. Inmates vandalise buildings and assault court people, mostly women," said Paula Kooper, Deputy Parliamentary Committee Chairperson of Legal Affairs.

The Executive Director of the Office of Judiciary, Bernhardt Kukuri, agreed with Kooper, saying officers are under attack on a daily basis.

Kukuri also indicated that some magistrates have requested that he provide police officers to guard their homes. However, this is an issue Kukuri says must be taken up with the Magistrate's Commission.