Dr. Job Amupanda, who is leading a legal battle to dismantle the controversial Red Line, has raised concerns over a potential conflict of interest involving the presiding judge in the case, Judge Shafimana Ueitele.

According to information revealed by Amupanda, Minister Calle Schlettwein, who is a defendant in the case, granted Judge Ueitele an exemption from paying land tax on two farms just before the trial began. This is contained in the latest information published by Dr. Amupanda on social media, despite Judge Ueitele's warning not to publish anything on Facebook relating to the case.

The exemption, published in the Government Gazette on August 6, 2024, applied to Farm 938 and Farm 933.

Amupanda claims that this exemption raises serious ethical concerns, as it was granted by Schlettwein, the first defendant in the case, while Judge Ueitele was presiding over a matter involving land and farming interests.

Dr. Amupanda further claims the judge may have ties to the Meat Board of Namibia (the fifth defendant in the case) and the Namibia Agricultural Union (the eighth defendant), which could further compromise his impartiality.

“If this is how our judiciary operates, then I am afraid we don’t have a judiciary at all,” Amupanda stated.

 

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Emil Xamro Seibeb