A 38-year-old man was arrested in Katutura, Khomas Region on Friday morning for possession of pangolin skin. Possession of pangolins or their parts is illegal in Namibia as they are protected species; multiple arrests have been made in recent years in northern and central regions.
12 May 2026 · Informanté →
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Catholic priest Linus Ngenomesho, 56, as Apostolic Vicar of the Apostolic Vicariate of Rundu. Ngenomesho, ordained in 2002, has served as Apostolic Administrator of the Rundu Vicariate since 2020 following the retirement of Bishop Joseph Shipandeni Shikongo.
12 May 2026 · Informanté →
The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security has warned the public about scammers impersonating ministry staff to sell fake national documents and permits. Victims—mostly foreign nationals—face criminal liability, prosecution, and financial loss, while the Ministry does not operate through intermediaries or facilitators.
12 May 2026 · Informanté →
High Court judge Thomas Masuku ruled in favour of the Government Institutions Pension Fund, ordering two former employees, Martin Eugen Smith and Vabiola Aoses, to repay N$18,664,657.59 they allegedly embezzled by creating false documents to reactivate suspended child annuitant benefits and channelling the funds into personal accounts.
12 May 2026 · Informanté →
The health ministry has agreed to pay N$450,000 to settle a medical negligence claim brought by the mother of an 18-year-old who alleged he was raped while in a coma at Katutura Intermediate Hospital. The High Court settlement was reached without any admission of liability by the State, which had previously denied that any sexual assault occurred.
12 May 2026 · Namibian Sun →
Denifilinde Kefas, retrenched as a cleaner in March 2020, returned to her village and later moved to Otjiwarongo, where she launched a sewing business from home making school bags and traditional dresses despite having no formal training and facing discouragement from family and friends.
12 May 2026 · Informanté →
Windhoek High Court acting judge David Mangota overturned restrictions at Windhoek Correctional Facility that reduced inmate study hours from six to two hours per day and prevented inmates of different security classifications from studying together. The court ruled that the restrictions were applied too strictly and were not properly justified, restoring the previous study arrangements for inmates enrolled in distance learning programmes.
12 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The Namibia Health Plan says it remains committed to complying with the Financial Institutions and Markets Act while stabilising operations following challenges linked to its transition to a new managed care service provider that began on 1 April 2026. The transition has caused disruptions to claims processing and administrative delays affecting some healthcare providers and employer groups.
12 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Namibia's High Court has restored study rights for inmates at Windhoek Correctional Facility, setting aside restrictions that had reduced study hours from six to two per day and prohibited mixed-security study groups. Acting judge David Mangota's decision reaffirms that correctional administration operates within constitutional limits and that punishment does not constitute civil erasure.
12 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
A 30-year-old man appeared in Oshakati Magistrate's Court and confessed without being questioned that he killed his 83-year-old grandmother at Ondiamande village in the Oshana region on Friday. He was denied bail and the case was postponed to 6 October; according to police, he broke into her bedroom and attacked her with an unknown object.
12 May 2026 · New Era →
Namibian Sun documents families, including children, surviving by scavenging at Okahandja's dumpsite for food, firewood, clothing, and items to resell, while some children forego schooling to participate.
12 May 2026 · Namibian Sun →
The Namibian reports that 15 people died on roads during a long weekend, bringing the year-to-date toll to 170 by 3 May, with the MVA Fund recording 921 crashes, 1,467 injuries, and 143 fatalities from January to 26 April. The editorial argues road crashes constitute a persistent national crisis requiring immediate action, citing WHO data showing Namibia recorded about 423 fatalities in 2023 at a rate of 14 per 100,000 population.
12 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Sophia Ndjamba, born with osteogenesis imperfecta, started Grade 1 at age 13 due to hospital visits but persevered through schooling despite community mockery and physical challenges. She graduated from the University of Namibia with a diploma in library and information science among 1,277 graduates.
12 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Shortages of essential chronic medications for hypertension, diabetes, and ophthalmology at Windhoek Central Hospital could result in suspension of surgeries and risk of permanent blindness. An ophthalmologist warns that the department lacks critical glaucoma and post-operative medications and cannot safely continue cataract operations without them.
12 May 2026 · The Namibian →