A man alleged to have been found in possession of drugs while driving from Otavi to Outjo claims he was severely assaulted by members of the Namibia Defence Force, Namibian Police Force and Anti-Poaching Unit.
Petrus Kelvin Dinisi is suing the minister of home affairs, immigration, safety and security and other defendants for payment in the sum of N$1.6 million in damages.
Other defendants include the Inspector General of the Namibian Police Force, a police inspector, a warrant officer, a sergeant, two unidentified members of the NDF, two unidentified anti-poaching unit members and an unknown member of the Namibian police force.
Dinisi, who is currently incarcerated at the Oluno Correctional Facility in the Oshana region, claims to have been stopped 46 kilometres away from Outjo by law enforcement officers.
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After handing his driving licence to the police, he and his passengers were told to get down from the vehicle and searched.
During the search, drugs were allegedly found behind a car seat, and upon questioning, the plaintiff allegedly confirmed they were his.
While kneeling, he adds, the officers started beating him all over his body, resulting in several injuries.
He said he was handcuffed and kicked, and when he fell, they poured water all over his body.
Additionally, the law enforcement members allegedly forcefully fed him water from a 2-litre bottle and started jumping on his stomach, causing him to vomit.
He claims the water had been mixed with diesel oil.
After the assault, he said, the members of the NDF, NamPol and the anti-poaching unit refused to take him to the hospital.
He argues he never gave permission to the officers to assault and violate his right to dignity as accorded by the Namibian Constitution.
He was only later taken to the Otavi State Hospital on 2 May 2023 and later to the Grootfontein State Hospital on 22 August 2023 for further treatment due to pain caused by the assault.
He further claims that his right to bodily and psychological integrity was violated by the law enforcement officers during the alleged assault.
Citing the Namibian Police Act, the plaintiff claims that the members failed, among others, to refrain from subjecting him to any psychological, physical and emotional force.
As a direct result of the defendants' alleged unlawful assault, Dinisi claims he suffered all sorts of harm and seeks compensation in the overall amount of N$1.6 million.
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Broken down, Dinisi seeks N$1 million for physical harm and emotional suffering, N$350 000 for psychological suffering and N$250 for wrongful and unlawful assault.
The matter continues in the High Court.
