Also known as: Supreme Court in Angola · US Supreme Court · Supreme Court of the Republic of Namibia · Supreme Court in Windhoek · Supreme Court of the United States
Namibia's highest court, which hears appeals on constitutional, criminal, and administrative matters affecting the nation.
News reports
Order a long-term news report on Supreme Court
Every mention in the Namibian press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
Windhoek Observer
Supreme Court delivered judgment on 21 November 2025 in Van Straten matter
“According to NAMFISA's 2026 annual report, the deficit was primarily driven by an N$83.6 million legal charge arising from the Van Straten matter following a Supreme Court judgment delivered on 21 November 2025.”
NAMFISA posts N$31.3 million deficit after N$83.6 million legal chargeThe Namibian
Supreme Court decided not to hear an appeal on the matter
“The precedent-setting murder convictions and sentence of a driver who was involved in a fatal road collision near Henties Bay at the end of 2014 will remain in place, after the Supreme Court decided not to hear an appeal on the matter.”
Murder convictions of crash driver to remain standingThe Namibian
Supreme Court ruled in May 2023 government can recognise same-sex marriages concluded outside Namibia for immigration purposes only
“He said a May 2023 Supreme Court judgment dealt specifically with same-sex marriages concluded outside Namibia for immigration purposes.”
Same-sex marriage remains ‘illegal’ in NamibiaInformanté
Supreme Court issued a judgment in May 2023 concerning same-sex marriages legally concluded outside Namibia and their recognition for immigration purposes
“He explained that the Supreme Court judgment of May 2023 concerned same-sex marriages legally concluded outside Namibia and their recognition for immigration purposes.”
Minister clarifies same-sex marriage position in NamibiaThe Namibian
Supreme Court rejected Trump's plan to restrict voting by mail before November's midterm elections
“The US Supreme Court has rejected President Donald Trump's plan to restrict voting by mail before November's midterm elections, in a setback for the White House.”
Supreme Court blocks Trump’s plan to restrict mail-in ballotsThe Namibian
Supreme Court upheld a federal judge's order that temporarily blocked the USPS from new ballot requirements
“The justices upheld a federal judge's order that temporarily blocked the US Postal Service (USPS) from moving forwards with new requirements for postal ballots.”
Supreme Court blocks Trump’s plan to restrict mail-in ballotsNew Era
Supreme Court supported on appeal in May 2022 the six former MPs' position
“Their position was eventually supported on appeal in May 2022 by the Supreme Court, and they were sworn in as members of the National Assembly on 6 June 2022.”
PDM6 demands N$9.4m backpayThe Namibian
Supreme Court ordered liquidators of Air Namibia to recalculate amounts due to former employees
“The Supreme Court has ordered the liquidators of Air Namibia to recalculate the amounts due to be paid out to former employees of the airline after it stopped operating in February 2021.”
AirNam employee pay outs to be recalculatedThe Namibian
Supreme Court dismissed appeal by CPBN and education ministry on hostel food tender
“The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by the Central Procurement Board of Namibia and the education ministry, invalidating a multimillion-dollar tender for government school hostel food.”
Top court dismisses hostel food tender appealInformanté
Supreme Court upheld High Court decision to cancel school food tender
“THE Supreme Court has upheld a previous judgment by the High Court to cancel a multimillion-dollar school food tender which had been found to have some irregularities.”
Supreme Court upholds decision to cancel school hostel tenderThe Namibian corrects that Turki Nghipondoka, third respondent in a Development Bank of Namibia Supreme Court appeal, is the sister of businessman Vaino Nghipondoka, not his wife.
20 October 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibian corrects that Turki Nghipondoka, third respondent in a Development Bank of Namibia Supreme Court appeal, is the sister of businessman Vaino Nghipondoka, not his wife.
20 October 2026 · The Namibian →
The Development Bank of Namibia has secured a Supreme Court appeal judgment against businessman Vaino Nghipondoka and his sister Turki for N$26.48 million. The court found that a July 2023 settlement between DBN and two of Nghipondoka's companies did not release him and his sister from liability for a N$15.9 million property finance loan obtained by Growmax Agri-Fertilizer in May 2017, for which they had entered into written suretyship agreements.
19 October 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's financial regulator NAMFISA recorded a comprehensive deficit of N$31.3 million for the year ended 31 March 2026, reversing a prior surplus of N$46.5 million, primarily due to an N$83.6 million legal charge arising from the Van Straten Supreme Court judgment. The authority recorded total income of N$343.1 million against expenditure of N$371.5 million during the year.
14 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah praised the late former Chief Justice Gert Johannes Cornelius Strydom for helping build an independent judiciary and strengthen Namibia's constitutional institutions during the formative years of independence. Strydom's contributions to the administration of justice and upholding of the rule of law shaped the country's legal system, with speakers at his State funeral on Friday honouring his lasting legacy.
12 October 2026 · New Era →
The Windhoek High Court has set aside the mining licence granted to Chinese-owned Xinfeng Investment in September 2022, finding that the company's licence application contained misleading information that materially affected the former mines minister's decision. The court referred the application back for reconsideration, but the company has instructed its lawyers to appeal to the Supreme Court.
7 October 2026 · The Namibian →
Retired chief justice Johan Strydom, who died at age 88, provided indispensible leadership that helped shape Namibia's judiciary after independence in 1990, Chief Justice Peter Shivute said at a valedictory court session. Strydom, the first judge president of the High Court after independence and the country's third chief justice, helped transform the legal system from one built to repress into one built to protect.
1 October 2026 · The Namibian →
Former Chief Justice Johan Strydom, who died on 25 September 2026 at age 88, was honoured at a valedictory court session for his role in establishing post-independence judicial principles of dignity, equality, access to justice, and administrative fairness during his nearly four-decade career.
1 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The Supreme Court refused a petition to hear an appeal by driver Jandré Dippenaar against his murder convictions and 15-year prison sentence for a fatal collision near Henties Bay in December 2014 that killed six people. The conviction was Namibia's first murder prosecution for a road accident rather than culpable homicide.
28 September 2026 · The Namibian →
A decades-long land dispute involving four families in the Zambezi region has reignited, with the Masubia tribal court warning that renewed confrontations could result in injuries or death. The traditional authority, saying the matter has moved beyond its jurisdiction, summoned the families with police and security present in September 2026, but the meeting became confrontational.
22 September 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Justice and labour relations minister Wise Immanuel told parliament that same-sex couples cannot legally marry under Namibian law. He clarified that a May 2023 Supreme Court judgment allows recognition of same-sex marriages concluded outside Namibia for immigration purposes only, and does not legalise same-sex marriage within the country. Parliament passed legislation in 2024 defining marriage, though it has not yet been operationalised.
16 September 2026 · The Namibian →
A WhatsApp message circulating on social media falsely claimed the High Court had ruled in favour of same-sex marriage in Namibia. The office of the judiciary and the ministry of justice and labour relations have clarified that same-sex marriage remains illegal in Namibia.
16 September 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Justice Minister Fillemon Wise Immanuel clarified that same-sex marriage is not currently legal in Namibia, following National Assembly comments suggesting a court ruling had legalized it. He explained that a May 2023 Supreme Court judgment concerned recognition of same-sex marriages concluded outside Namibia for immigration purposes only, and that the Marriage Act No. 14 of 2024 defines marriage as a union between persons of opposite sex, though it has not yet been operationalized.
15 September 2026 · Informanté →
The US Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump's plan to restrict mail-in voting before the midterm elections, upholding a federal judge's order temporarily blocking new US Postal Service requirements for postal ballots. Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed with the ruling but signaled he might later rule in Trump's favour as the case continues.
15 September 2026 · The Namibian →
The Central Procurement Board of Namibia cancelled a competitive tender for a veterinary cordon fence to combat foot-and-mouth disease two weeks after awarding it, then hand-picked the second-place bidder a week later. The Namibian editorial warns that such abrupt cancellations undermine transparency, expose the state to costly litigation, and raise questions about accountability in government procurement.
13 September 2026 · The Namibian →
Six former Members of Parliament have sued the Popular Democratic Movement, National Assembly and Electoral Commission of Namibia, claiming N$1.5 million each in lost salaries, allowances and other benefits after they were allegedly unlawfully excluded from Parliament in 2020. The group, known as PDM6, argues they were duly nominated and elected to the National Assembly but were subsequently removed.
11 September 2026 · New Era →
Spanish intelligence alerted Moroccan and Ceuta authorities on 29 July of social media calls for a mass migrant crossing the next day, according to declassified government documents. The revelations contradict Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's claim that tens of thousands of migrants entering on 30–31 July were unpredictable, though opposition parties say the government misled Spaniards about the scope of the warning.
10 September 2026 · The Namibian →
The Supreme Court has ordered Air Namibia's liquidators to recalculate amounts owed to 81 former employees for accumulated leave, annual bonuses, severance pay, and notice period pay, and to pay the difference between recalculated amounts and payments already made in December 2022. The court upheld the liquidators' appeal regarding the interpretation of "remuneration" under employment agreements.
7 September 2026 · The Namibian →
The Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by the Central Procurement Board and Ministry of Education, upholding a High Court decision that set aside a multimillion-dollar tender for supplying food to government school hostels. The court found the procurement process unlawful because the board continued proceedings after the 180-day bid validity period had expired.
6 September 2026 · The Namibian →
The Supreme Court upheld a High Court judgment canceling a multimillion-dollar school hostel food supply tender for government schools across Namibia's 14 regions after the Central Procurement Board and Ministry of Education appealed the decision. The tender was found to have irregularities, including the exclusion of a bidder for failing to provide an English translation of an Afrikaans-language supporting document.
4 September 2026 · Informanté →
Chief Justice Peter Shivute said professional demands on judicial officers must not come at the cost of their health, and emphasized a close relationship between judicial well-being and proper administration of justice. His remarks came at an event marking the UN-proclaimed International Day for Judicial Well-being on 25 July.
25 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Chief Justice Peter Shivute has called for greater institutional responsibility for the well-being of judicial officers and support staff, warning that individual resilience cannot indefinitely compensate for heavy workloads, inadequate support and demanding working conditions. He stressed that judicial stress should not be stigmatised and that the well-being of judicial officers is closely linked to the proper administration of justice.
24 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan was moved back to prison on Friday after doctors at an Islamabad hospital deemed him "medically fit" following an examination ordered by the Supreme Court. Khan was examined by a team of qualified doctors including an ophthalmologist, cardiologist and physician; the court order also allowed him to see his family, including his sister who visited him in prison.
21 August 2026 · The Namibian →
The Kunene Regional Council's 2026/27 budget has remained frozen since March due to a legal dispute over the reinstatement of chief regional officer George Kamseb, leaving the council unable to pay utilities and halting operational and capital projects. The council is only managing to pay staff salaries through a monthly arrangement involving two finance officials travelling to Windhoek, and is awaiting the Supreme Court's pronouncement on the matter.
18 August 2026 · The Namibian →
The Windhoek High Court has clarified that an earlier order restoring Puma Energy Namibia's possession of airport facilities at Eros and Andimba Toivo ya Toivo airports also required the Namibia Airports Company to allow Puma to resume its aviation fuelling business. Acting judge James Devittie found that restoring physical possession alone was insufficient, and that the April order covered both corporeal possession of the premises and the incorporeal aspect of operating the fuelling business.
14 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The Windhoek High Court has ordered the Namibia Airports Company to reinstate PUMA Energy on the premises of Eros and Ondangwa airports so it may resume aviation fuelling services, following NAC's alleged lockout of PUMA employees in March 2026.
13 August 2026 · Informanté →
Entrépo Finance, a microlender that relied on government payroll deductions for civil servants, has stopped granting new loans after the Ministry of Finance ended its payroll deduction management system in November. The company, 55.5% owned by Capricorn Group, has retrenched close to 20 employees and has not approved a new loan in more than six months, according to sources.
6 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's Deputy Chief Justice Petrus Damaseb has been nominated to serve on a Tanzanian presidential commission of inquiry investigating violence that followed Tanzania's October 2025 general elections, following a request from Tanzanian authorities for a Namibian High Court judge to join the commission.
5 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Petrus Damaseb, Namibia's deputy chief justice, has been nominated to serve on a Tanzanian presidential commission of inquiry investigating post-election violence following Tanzania's 2025 general elections. The Judicial Service Commission said Damaseb's judicial and administrative experience made him suitable for the sensitive role, and arrangements will be made to ensure his Namibian judicial duties continue without disruption.
5 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Twenty-five US states have sued the Trump administration over tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on goods from 60 trading partners, including the UK, China, and the European Union, imposed in July citing forced labour concerns. The coalition of Democratic states argues the tariffs are "arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to law," while the White House defends the duties as lawful action against unreasonable trade practices.
4 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia was not included among 60 economies investigated by the United States over concerns about forced labour in imports, according to a US presidential memorandum issued on 23 July. The exclusion means Namibia faces neither the proposed 12.5% ad valorem tariff nor the lower 10% tariff rate that apply to investigated nations.
28 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →