Namibia’s President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, has dismissed the Minister of Agriculture, Mac-Albert Hengari, accused of raping a 21-year-old five years ago.
The act reportedly happened when the girl was 16.
Minister Hengari, 59, is currently in detention after facing arrest on Saturday for attempting to bribe his victim and her family.
However, he has denied any wrongdoing. The BBC, citing a police report, reported that Hengari is under investigation for multiple charges, including kidnapping, rape, and assault.
He was appointed in government just a few months after Namibia elected its first female president, Ndaitwah, following the SWAPO party’s victory.
Minister Denied Bail
Minister Hengari will remain in jail until June, when the hearing commences again.
The court denied him bail, as the judge said he could be a flight risk and attempt to tamper with the investigation or threaten the victims.
The media reported that Mac-Albert Hengari is not the only one the court had indicted. He appeared before the court with another person who faces similar charges.
According to the UN, cases of rape, assault and murder were on the rise in Namibia between 2012 and 20216.
According to the statistics, there were 18,054 assaults, 2,839 rapes, and 734 murders.
