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Monday, 8 June 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Monday, 8 June 2026
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Namibian press · Organization

Windhoek High Court

Also known as: the High Court · High Court for the Erongo region

Namibian superior court handling criminal, civil, and labour matters including murder convictions, defamation settlements, and employment disputes.

2020-07-242026-06-08
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What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

  1. February 2026

  2. The Namibian

    Windhoek High Court dismissed applications by Kennedy and Cloete for discharge

    Source

    “Applications in which former magistrate Jaco Kennedy (39) and a co-accused, Raymond Cloete (39), asked to be found not guilty after the state concluded its case in their trial were dismissed by acting judge Kobus Miller on Friday.”

    Ex-magistrate Jaco Kennedy loses bid to dismiss rape charges in Windhoek High Court

  3. New Era

    Windhoek High Court dismissed Kauejao's application for leave to appeal his conviction

    Source

    “Kauejao's application for leave to appeal his conviction with the Supreme Court was dismissed by Windhoek High Court Acting Judge Alfred Siboleka.”

    Convicted Kauejao loses appeal

  4. The Namibian

    Windhoek High Court was venue for sentencing of Riddick 'Ricky' Narib

    Source

    “Shivute said during the sentencing of Dantali's stepfather and killer, Riddick 'Ricky' Narib (33), in the Windhoek High Court.”

    Walvis Bay stepfather sentenced to 30 years for brutal murder of 5-year-old Dantali Eiseb

  5. New Era

    Windhoek High Court received first appearance of three men accused of murder and robbery

    Source

    “Following the transfer of their trial to the High Court, three men accused of murder and robbery made their first appearance in the Windhoek High Court yesterday.”

    Murder accused appear in High Court

  6. The Namibian

    Windhoek High Court will retain restraint order on Hatuikulipi's assets until criminal trial concluded

    Source

    “Hatuikulipi's assets were frozen by a 2020 court property restraint order because of the Fishrot case, and the restraint order will remain in place until his pending criminal trial in the Windhoek High Court is concluded.”

    Fishrot accused Tamson Hatuikulipi’s N$4.5 million Windhoek mansion falls into ruin

  7. The Namibian

    Windhoek High Court issued ruling ordering recalculation and payment of severance packages

    Source

    “He said employees had previously attained a High Court ruling ordering the recalculation and payment of severance packages.”

    Former Air Namibia employees remain unpaid

  8. The Namibian

    The High Court has the power to order scientific testing take place over objections if in child's best interests

    Source

    “The High Court has the power to order that scientific testing take place over the objections of the other parent if it would be in the child's best interests.”

    Why Mandatory DNA Testing of New borns to Establish Paternity Is a Bad Idea

  9. New Era

    Windhoek High Court Judge Naomi Shivute struck an application by the State seeking leave to appeal against bail granted to Cornelius Cedric Willemse

    Source

    “Windhoek High Court Judge Naomi Shivute yesterday struck an application by the State that sought leave to appeal against the bail granted to Cornelius Cedric Willemse.”

    Willemse bail appeal dismissed

  10. The Namibian

    Windhoek High Court struck off the state's application for leave to appeal

    Source

    “An application in which the state is asking to be permitted to appeal against the granting of bail to Willemse (53) was struck off the court roll in the Windhoek High Court yesterday.”

    State sent back to the start in Namcor bail appeal bid

  11. The Namibian

    Windhoek High Court delivered judgment affirming rights of detained Fishrot accused

    Source

    “The people charged in the Fishrot fraud, corruption and racketeering case are presumed innocent until proven guilty, and their human rights should be respected, it is stated in a judgement delivered in the Windhoek High Court on Thursday.”

    Judge affirms rights of detained Fishrot accused
Politics

High Court rejects Dippenaar bid to appeal murder conviction

The News

Jandré Lodewyk Dippenaar, the first person in Namibia convicted of murder with direct intent from a car accident, has had his application to seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court dismissed by the High Court. Dippenaar was sentenced in August 2024 to 15 years' imprisonment after being convicted on six counts of murder and other charges relating to a December 2014 car crash in Henties Bay that killed six people.

Why it matters

High Court rejecting Dippenaar's bid to appeal his murder conviction closes a major legal case and sets precedent for direct-intent convictions.

6 June 2026 · Informanté →

Saturday 6 June

  1. High Court rejects Dippenaar bid to appeal murder conviction

    Jandré Lodewyk Dippenaar, the first person in Namibia convicted of murder with direct intent from a car accident, has had his application to seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court dismissed by the High Court. Dippenaar was sentenced in August 2024 to 15 years' imprisonment after being convicted on six counts of murder and other charges relating to a December 2014 car crash in Henties Bay that killed six people.

    6 June 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 5 June

  1. Dr Mtambo appointed Acting High Court Judge for three years

    The Judicial Service Commission has appointed Justice Dr Michael Charles Mtambo as an Acting Judge of the High Court for three years, effective from 1 June 2026. Dr Mtambo previously served as a Judge of the High Court of Malawi from 2007 to 2022, sitting in both the Commercial Division and the Constitutional Court.

    5 June 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 4 June

  1. Roads Authority spent N$2.6 million firing two executives

    The Roads Authority paid private lawyers more than N$2.6 million to discipline and fire two executives accused of inflating a vehicle procurement tender. Labour experts say the expense demonstrates how parastatals squander public money.

    4 June 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Leasehold rights under Communal Land Reform Act survive death

    A High Court judge ruled that a leasehold right granted under the Communal Land Reform Act of 2005 does not end with the death of the right holder and can form part of their estate. The court also determined that a deceased estate and its executor have a stronger claim to the land than someone occupying it without a leasehold right.

    4 June 2026 · The Namibian →

  3. Windhoek High Court settles defamation case with court-ordered apology

    The Windhoek High Court has concluded a defamation lawsuit in which businessman Benjamin Hauwanga sued Toivo Potgieter Simeon Nghinananye for N$500,000. Through an out-of-court settlement, Nghinananye admitted to making false statements about Hauwanga, issued an unconditional apology to be published on social media, and was ordered to pay N$200,000 suspended for five years on condition of no further defamation.

    4 June 2026 · Informanté →

  4. Walvis Bay pothole tender dispute reaches High Court

    An unsuccessful bidder on a Walvis Bay pothole repair tender has taken the matter to the High Court, seeking to block the municipality from implementing the contract.

    4 June 2026 · Namibian Sun →

Wednesday 3 June

  1. Namibia's new law shifts divorce from fault to irretrievable breakdown

    The Dissolution of Marriages Act of 2024, in effect today, replaces Namibia's fault-based divorce system with a no-fault framework based on the irretrievable breakdown of marriage, eliminating adultery and other matrimonial offences as grounds for divorce. Judge President Petrus Damaseb described the reform as "one of the most significant reforms in the history of Namibia's family law system," noting that the new emphasis is on whether the marriage has disintegrated beyond realistic restoration rather than identifying moral blame.

    3 June 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Otavi man pleads not guilty to ex-girlfriend's stabbing death

    Immanuel Venonja (25) denied murdering Elisabeth Uwu-Khaes (21) by stabbing her in a bar in Otavi on 31 May 2024, read with provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act, in Windhoek High Court. Venonja claimed Uwu-Khaes attacked him first and that he did not stab her, though he admitted they had previously been in a domestic relationship and shared a child.

    3 June 2026 · The Namibian →

  3. Namibia's no-fault divorce law replaces adultery-based system

    Namibia's Dissolution of Marriages Act 2024 took effect on 3 June 2026, replacing fault-based divorce grounds (adultery, cruelty, desertion) with a single ground of "irretrievable breakdown of the marriage." The reform also empowers Magistrate Courts to grant divorces for the first time, and seeks to reduce hostility and simplify procedures.

    3 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Tuesday 2 June

  1. Couple pleads guilty to N$9.9 million fraud from bus service

    Amanda and Barnard Jantjies admitted guilt to over 800 charges each of fraud, theft, and money laundering involving close to N$10 million stolen from bus service Ekonolux between 2014 and 2018. Amanda, employed as a bookkeeper, made fraudulent payments from Ekonolux accounts to personal and business accounts under false pretences of supplier and client payments.

    2 June 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Man accused of stabbing girlfriend denies guilt in trial

    Immanuel Venonja, 25, pleaded not guilty in the Windhoek High Court to the murder of Elisabeth Uwu-Khaes, whom he allegedly stabbed in the back at a bar in Otavi on 31 May 2024. Uwu-Khaes died from her injuries on 1 June 2024; the state alleges Venonja also prevented bystanders from taking her for medical help.

    2 June 2026 · Informanté →

Monday 1 June

  1. Teacher convicted of murdering wife in Windhoek

    Patric Gaingob was found guilty of murdering his wife, fellow teacher Merenta Gaingos, in a fatal knife attack in April 2019. The judge rejected his claims of automatism and amnesia, noting 12 stab wounds were recorded during post-mortem examination and finding direct intent to murder.

    1 June 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Woman sentenced to 35 years for murdering two in Windhoek house fire

    Mecthilde Karomo was sentenced to 35 years' imprisonment after being convicted of murdering her boyfriend Leonard Haupindi and Anastasia Matende by setting Haupindi's house on fire in Okahandja Park, Windhoek on 26 December 2022. The judge noted Karomo acted with "utter indifference" after starting the deadly blaze, driven by anger and jealousy.

    1 June 2026 · The Namibian →

  3. High Court orders NHE to reinstate former executive and pay compensation

    The High Court has ordered the National Housing Enterprise to reinstate former sales and lending executive Willem George Titus and pay him N$3.7 million, finding his 2021 dismissal was substantive.

    1 June 2026 · Namibian Sun →

Sunday 31 May

  1. Businessman and Ongwediva resident settle defamation case

    Benjamin Hauwanga and Simeon Nghinananye have settled a defamation case in which Hauwanga sued Nghinananye for N$500 000. Under the settlement made an order of the Windhoek High Court, Nghinananye agreed to publicly apologise and retract allegations, while Hauwanga withdrew his claim and waived legal costs; Nghinananye must pay N$200 000 if he repeats the defamatory allegations within five years.

    31 May 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 29 May

  1. Woman sentenced to 35 years for double murder by arson

    Mecthilde Karomo (34) was sentenced in the Windhoek High Court to 35 years in prison for the murder of her ex-boyfriend Leonard Haupindi (36) and his new partner Anastasia Matende (31) after she set Haupindi's house on fire on 26 December 2022. Karomo was sentenced to 32 years on each of two counts of murder to be served concurrently, plus three years for arson.

    29 May 2026 · Informanté →

  2. Windhoek woman sentenced to 35 years for murder by arson

    Mecthilde Karomo, 34, was sentenced to an effective 35 years' imprisonment after being convicted of murdering two people by setting a house on fire in Windhoek on 26 December 2022. Judge Claudia Claasen imposed 32 years on each of two murder counts (served concurrently) and three years for arson.

    29 May 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 28 May

  1. Supreme Court orders Namfisa to pay N$35.1m to Prowealth investors

    The Supreme Court has ordered Namfisa to pay N$35.1 million to the liquidator of insolvent company Prowealth Asset Management, to be distributed to investors who lost money entrusted to the company about two decades ago. The order follows a November finding that Namfisa was liable for losses suffered by approximately 87 investors due to insufficient regulatory oversight from August 2005 until the company collapsed in December 2008.

    28 May 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Two men deny murder and rape of Walvis Bay resident

    Quanito van Vuuren (28) and Sem Moses (22) pleaded not guilty to murder, two counts of rape, and robbery with aggravating circumstances in connection with the death of Vernon Gavin (53) in his Walvis Bay home on 30 December 2023. Moses denied being at the home at all, while Van Vuuren admitted being present but said he did not commit the crimes.

    28 May 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 27 May

  1. Supreme Court orders Namfisa to pay N$35 million to fraud liquidators

    The Supreme Court has ordered the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) to pay N$35 million to the liquidator of Prowealth Asset Management, which collapsed after its director stole about N$75 million from more than 70 investors. The ruling follows a November 2025 finding that Namfisa could be held liable for breaching its duty of care in failing to properly supervise the fraudulent asset manager.

    27 May 2026 · Informanté →

Monday 25 May

  1. High Court orders auction of Hodago Fishing's freezer trawler

    A Windhoek High Court judge has authorised the deputy sheriff to sell Hodago Fishing's vessel Venus 1 through public auction after the financially troubled company failed to repay Standard Bank Namibia N$36 million in loan and facility agreements. Gendev Fishing Resources, in which the Swapo-owned company Guinas Investments holds 96.5%, has 45% shareholding in Hodago Fishing.

    25 May 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. High Court rejects secret trial request for NCIS director

    Deputy judge president Shafimana Ueitele dismissed an application by Namibia Central Intelligence Service director general Bamba Nghipandua to have a defamation case heard in secret, ruling that a clear case showing it is truly necessary must be made before restricting public access to court proceedings on national security grounds.

    25 May 2026 · The Namibian →

  3. NSFAF sues former chief for N$4.3m repayment

    The Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund has sued former chief executive Hilya Nghiwete for N$4.3 million following a Supreme Court judgment that overturned earlier rulings in her favour. The fund argues Nghiwete was unfairly enriched after receiving salaries, benefits, and backpay linked to an arbitration award that was later set aside.

    25 May 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 22 May

  1. High Court rejects NCIS director's bid for secret hearing

    The High Court has dismissed an urgent application by Namibia Central Intelligence Service director general Sinsy Nghipandua to have a defamation case heard behind closed doors, with deputy judge president Shafimana Ueitele ruling that broad national security claims do not justify secrecy in court proceedings. The case stems from a defamation lawsuit filed by senior public servant Fiina Elago against the NCIS and the minister of home affairs, claiming an NCIS official falsely stated her security vetting could not be finalised due to a pending case with her previous employer, which she denies.

    22 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

  2. Meatco sues ex-executive Liebenberg for N$7.5m over alleged fraud

    Meatco is increasing its civil claim against former executive Patrick Liebenberg from N$6.1 million to more than N$7.5 million, accusing him of fraud, theft and misappropriation of company funds through livestock procurement transactions between 2024 and 2025.

    22 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

  3. High Court dismisses NCIS secrecy bid in N$1.8m defamation case

    The High Court has rejected an application by the Namibia Central Intelligence Service to hear a N$1.8 million defamation case brought by a former education executive in secret.

    22 May 2026 · Namibian Sun →

  4. High Court voids Namra's retrospective customs penalty increase

    The High Court ruled that the Namibia Revenue Agency acted unlawfully when it retrospectively increased a customs penalty against First Edge Technology Distribution.

    22 May 2026 · Namibian Sun →

Wednesday 20 May

  1. High Court dismisses NCIS bid for secret hearing in defamation case

    The Windhoek High Court dismissed an application by the Namibia Central Intelligence Service to hold a secret hearing in a N$1.8 million defamation lawsuit and to restrict media reporting on court documents. Judge Shafimana Ueitele ruled on 19 May 2026 that citizens have a right to know and press freedom must be upheld, rejecting NCIS Director-General Bamba Nghipandua's claim that disclosure would expose the agency's inner workings.

    20 May 2026 · Informanté →

  2. Woman convicted of arson murders faces sentencing decision

    Mecthilde Karomo (34), convicted of murdering two people who died in a Windhoek house fire in December 2022, is awaiting sentencing. The prosecutor recommended life imprisonment or a minimum of 30 years per count, while the defence proposed 16 years per murder count plus 4 years for arson, with some sentences to run concurrently.

    20 May 2026 · The Namibian →

  3. Nust security tender challenged over false employee claims

    PIS Security Services has filed a review application at the High Court challenging a N$40 million three-year security contract awarded to Novo Security Services CC in October 2025, alleging that eight active Namibian police officers were falsely presented as employees and managers of Novo in its bid.

    20 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Windhoek High Court — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute