Recent interrogation by notorious Nampol crew members of the Caprivi High Treason case with the editor of The Caprivi Vision Mr. Risco Lumamezi, on the telephonic interview conducted October 22, 2015 with Mr. Mishake Muyongo an exile politician is a signal of sabotaging the fundamental freedom of expression and media enshrined in the Namibian Constitution.
Our eyes are still open, and would like to lament the fact that September 6, 2016 Detective Chief Inspector Evans Simasiku and Inspector Eimo Popyianawa picked up the Caprivi Vision Editor to make statement against the news item titled “Hardtalk with Muyongo”
This is a video clip which has been entertaining thousands of viewers on the World Wide Web,YouTube on this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR90DiuuYHQ, and it was also published on print in the Caprivi Vision publication; we are shocked to learn that the police have gone beyond parameter that shows the violation of our right in practicing our journalism career.
They [Chief Inspector Simasiku and Inspector Popenawa] played the video clip to the editor at their offices in Katima Mulilo asking him , whose voice was in the video clip which was asking the Caprivi leader Mr. Muyongo during the exclusive interview.
This was not hidden as the editor said in person that it was him who interviewed Mr. Muyongo, who is wanted by the Namibian government for conspiracy after August 2, 1999 attacks and he was also asked to mention the date, eventually which time and the day of the interview.
They both continued probing questions whether Muyongo incited the Namibian authority over the Caprivi Strip, and perhaps what was his first question to Mr. Muyongo which according to Mr.Lumamezi recalled he wanted to hear response from Mr. Muyongo what was his view on the outcome of the High Court whereby 30 accused convicts were found guilty and 35 were found not guilty by Judge Elton Hoff of the High Court of Namibia on September 14, 2015.
In addition to this, the duo asked the editor what was his personal interest on the news item, which he stressed that he produced the story for the public interest to know since this has been the longest trial in the history of Namibia and it was necessary for the public domain to have Muyongo on record since he spelled many issues such as the 1964 Lusaka treaty on the merger agreement of the two major political parties, CANU and SWAPO.
Some of the other question was why he named the news item headlined as Hardtalk with Muyongo? which he said it was simply because of straight talk questions and answers inserted or presented in the production.
Later on September 8, the two inspectors delivered the typed statement with a handwritten to the editor for signing at his office with captioned CR No: 110/08/2016 with the hard then at the sametime they requested the published copy of The Caprivi Vision edition of 23 October – 25 November 2015 Vol.13 .No.6 to serve as evidence in court.
We therefore want to shed some light to this saga to set the fact right, Caprivi Vision is not a political party or the editor of this paper who is threatened, but is here in creating the reading culture by informing, educating and entertaining the nation on what is happening.
Namibia being a democratic state like other countries in this world should continue tolerating press freedom as it is praised by the world.
Caprivi Vision as a watchdog or a platform in stimulating debates through reporting and writing of editorials in promoting freedom of expression, remains a vehicle that triggers the role of the media in the progress of democracy, peace and tolerance.
The aim perhaps, is to bring the newspaper closer to the people in the remote areas, in order to help them make their informed decisions.
Finally, we would like to stand by our side and denounce the behaviour of the police in particular detectives who are linked to the Caprivi High Treason case, and other elements that look to us differently, to stop this as this may lead to censorship and suppression, which will give a negative picture to the world.
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