Office of the Judiciary — administers Namibia's courts and judicial operations, currently expanding magistrates' court capacity and addressing case backlogs.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
The Namibian
Office of the Judiciary has strongly condemned the attack on Justine Shiweda
“The Office of the Judiciary has strongly condemned the attack and described it as not merely an assault on one individual but on the rule of law and the justice system itself.”
State to pay medical bills of prosecutor who died after acid and gun attackThe Namibian
The Office of the Judiciary is working to ensure the magistrate is available
“She added that the Office of the Judiciary is working to ensure the magistrate is available.”
Ondangwa doctor Nakanduungile gets murder charge after prosecutor Shiweda diesThe Namibian
Office of the Judiciary clarified how indigenous language interpreters are deployed at courts
“The Office of the Judiciary has clarified how indigenous language interpreters are deployed at courts, following concerns over the availability of Otjiherero and Damara/Nama interpretation services at the Opuwo Magistrate's Court.”
Judiciary clarifies interpreter deployment at Opuwo courtThe Namibian
The Office of the Judiciary operates subject to the direction of the chief justice and utilises a budget allocated directly to it by parliament
“This office operates subject to the direction of the chief justice and utilises a budget allocated directly to it by parliament, with the salary and benefits of judges being set by law.”
The Independence and Competence of JudgesThe Namibian
Office of the Judiciary spokesperson Vikitoria Hango said accused have the right to privacy; photographs require permission.
“"The accused also have the right to privacy. Unless you are just going to take your notes, it's okay. But the moment you want to take a picture, you must ask for permission. It has always been like that," Office of the Judiciary spokesperson Vikitoria Hango said this week.”
The Injustice of Selective JusticeThe Namibian
Office of the Judiciary announced public interviews of judge candidates for the High Court
“The announcement by the Office of the Judiciary that there will be public interviews of candidates nominated as judges of the High Court is a milestone in terms of transparency.”
Well Done, JudiciaryThe Office of the Judiciary is preparing to facilitate the hearing and determination of divorce matters in Magistrates' Courts countrywide, with administrative, operational, and procedural processes currently being finalised. The public will be notified once the service is ready to commence.
19 June 2026 · Informanté →
The Office of the Judiciary is preparing to facilitate the hearing and determination of divorce matters in Magistrates' Courts countrywide, with administrative, operational, and procedural processes currently being finalised. The public will be notified once the service is ready to commence.
19 June 2026 · Informanté →
The Office of the Judiciary announced that the Omuthiya Periodical Court will commence operations on Monday, 8 June 2026, providing essential judicial services including criminal proceedings, marriage solemnization, maintenance disputes, and bail payments to residents of Oshikoto Region who previously had to travel to Ondangwa Magistrate's Court.
5 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The Office of the Prosecutor General announced the death of senior legal clerk Johannes Kondjeleni, aged 34, on Saturday. The office described him as a hardworking and dedicated staff member who had joined the Prosecutor General's office on 1 May 2025 after previously serving in the Office of the Judiciary since 1 February 2020.
24 May 2026 · The Namibian →
The government has allocated N$512 million to the Office of the Judiciary for the 2026/2027 financial year, with N$497 million for operations and N$15 million for development projects including construction of magistrates' courts in Nkurenkuru and Katima Mulilo. The allocation reflects the government's commitment to strengthening the justice system and expanding court capacity in underserved areas.
8 April 2026 · New Era →
The Office of the Judiciary has been allocated N$512 million for the 2026/27 financial year, with N$15 million directed to development expenditure including the construction of magistrates' courts at Nkurenkuru and Katima Mulilo. The allocation represents a total decrease of N$88.96 million from the previous financial year.
2 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's judicial system has transformed from a racially discriminatory colonial and apartheid-era instrument into a constitutional democracy grounded in the rule of law and equal protection. Since independence in 1990, reforms including the Bill of Rights, Legal Aid Directorate, and increased Namibianisation of judicial leadership have significantly broadened access to justice for all citizens.
20 March 2026 · New Era →
The Office of the Judiciary has appointed five judges to the High Court, including three from other southern African countries on temporary contracts to address capacity constraints in the civil stream. The appointments are part of a temporary measure while longer-term domestic solutions are pursued.
10 March 2026 · Informanté →
Gender Equality Minister Emma Kantema has praised the growing presence of women in Namibia's judiciary, noting recent milestones including the appointment of the first permanent woman judge to the Supreme Court and increased representation of women judges and magistrates. She acknowledged these achievements as evidence of women's capacity to lead at the highest levels while also flagging safety concerns for female judicial officers, referencing the 2025 death of prosecutor Justine Shiweda.
8 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Rocco Nguvauva, chairperson of Omaheke Regional Council, said the new council will build on foundations laid by previous leadership, focusing on infrastructure development, basic service provision, and community empowerment while maintaining fiscal discipline and responsiveness to regional needs.
5 March 2026 · New Era →
The Office of the Judiciary appointed judges from Zimbabwe and Botswana to Namibia's High Court, effective March 2025, as part of efforts to address critical shortages in the judiciary. Esi Schimming-Chase was sworn in as Namibia's first permanent female Supreme Court judge, and Chief Justice Peter Shivute noted that women now constitute the majority of the High Court bench.
4 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Memos from the Office of the Judiciary and Ministry of Justice confirm severe budget shortages: the legal aid travel budget is depleted and legal aid counsel must seek to postpone out-of-station hearings; magistrates are barred from travelling outside duty stations for cases between 15 March and 15 April. Chief Justice Peter Shivute warned that underfunding and staff shortages threaten judicial capacity, with civil judges' workload rising 60% despite fewer cases being filed.
20 February 2026 · New Era →
Judge Beatrix de Jager postponed delivering a judgement to protect her health, citing an unsustainable workload and workforce shortage that she described as "inhuman." Chief Justice Peter Shivute confirmed that judges are under immense pressure, with civil judges managing an average of 614 cases each in 2025, and called for urgent judicial appointments and support.
12 February 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Justice has confirmed it will cover all medical expenses for prosecutor Justine Shiweda, who died in December 2025 following a brutal October attack in which she was shot five times and had acid thrown on her body. The Ondangwa regional control prosecutor spent four months in hospital before succumbing to complications from her injuries; one suspect, a medical doctor, has been charged with murder and conspiracy.
11 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Ondangwa doctor Fillemon Nakanduungile is facing murder and conspiracy charges following the death of prosecutor Justine Shiweda, who died from injuries sustained in a violent acid attack on 17 October. Nakanduungile is accused of conspiring with a criminal gang that shot and threw corrosive acid at the prosecutor.
9 February 2026 · The Namibian →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah warned that prolonged backlog of cases, particularly those involving abuse of public resources, weakens public confidence in Namibia's state institutions. Chief Justice Peter Shivute cited a critical shortage of judicial officers and rising caseloads, with magistrate court backlogs growing from 57,090 cases at end of 2024 to 63,679 at end of 2025.
7 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Court proceedings in Opuwo have been delayed due to a shortage of magistrates and interpreters, with one magistrate managing two court rolls and inadequate coverage for Otjiherero and Damara/Nama speakers. A local lawyer warns the delays violate the right to fair trial, while the judiciary says it faces structural challenges in interpreting all indigenous languages across courts.
3 February 2026 · The Namibian →
The Office of the Judiciary has clarified that interpreter allocation at courts is determined by geographical location and dominant regional languages, following concerns about the availability of Otjiherero and Damara/Nama interpretation services at Opuwo Magistrate's Court. The Judiciary spokesperson stated that systematic processes are in place to source specific language interpreters in advance and that no case backlog has been attributed solely to interpreter shortages.
29 January 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's Constitution and legislation establish multiple safeguards for judicial independence, including direct budget allocation to the judiciary, qualification requirements for judges, appointment through the Judicial Service Commission, removal protections, and ethical guidelines that prevent conflicts of interest and political interference.
21 January 2026 · The Namibian →