Renthia Kaimbi
Justice and labour relations minister Fillemon Wise Immanuel has requested round-the-clock residential security for every magistrate and prosecutor.
In a letter dated 21 February to safety and security minister Lucia Iipumbu and copied to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Immanuel requested the immediate deployment of security personnel to the homes of about 400 judicial and prosecutorial officers.
The request follows the death of Ondangwa regional control prosecutor Justine Shiweda and recent threats against members of the justice system.
Shiweda (32) died on 7 February from injuries she sustained in an attack in October 2025. During the attack, she was shot and doused with a corrosive substance. Her death has raised concerns within the legal fraternity about personal safety.
“Following the vicious and monstrous attack on our late, learned and incorruptible friend, Justine Shiweda, who has since sadly succumbed to her injuries, and the notable growing threats on the security of magistrates and prosecutors, a call to action is louder than before,” Immanuel wrote in the letter, a copy of which has been obtained by the Windhoek Observer.
He said Shiweda’s killing was not only a personal loss but an attack on the justice system.
“Clearly, the loss of Ms Shiweda’s life, was not only personal to those who knew her, but a profound blow to the justice system, which she served with courage and integrity; hence, any attempt by anyone to perpetuate similar attack(s), real or imaginary, must be met with collective and proportionate force,” he stated.
Immanuel asked that residence guards be assigned nationwide. He argued that both homes and workplaces must remain safe to protect independent decision-making.
“When either their workplaces or homes cease to be a source[s] of safety, the independence and effectiveness of the entire justice system are compromised,” Immanuel wrote.
“Thus, for all practical intents, fear must never become a silent influence over either judicial or prosecutorial decision-making.
A technical committee is conducting a security assessment for the justice sector. Immanuel said the situation requires immediate action while that process continues. He called for discussions on funding to begin without delay.
“It is both logical and revolutionary that [the] safety of those who administer justice cannot be weighed lightly against budgetary considerations,” he wrote.
He urged that financial implications be placed on the discussion table “with tenacity and urgency”.
The matter has drawn attention from senior leaders. At Shiweda’s funeral, chief justice Peter Shivute said attacks on officers of the court threaten the constitutional order.
“When an officer of the court is harmed while carrying out lawful duties, it is not merely an attack on an individual; it is an attack on the system of justice that protects us all,” he said.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah also addressed the issue, stating that “no officer of the court should be required to discharge their duties under fear, intimidation or threat”.
Immanuel closed his letter by urging swift action.
“The incidents forming the basis of this letter do not merely call for interventions; they summon bold and radical leadership,” he stated.
“The time for action is now. Accordingly, we cannot afford to wait for another life to be threatened or lost before taking the necessary steps.”
The letter was also copied to prime minister Elijah Ngurare and finance minister Ericah Shafudah, signalling that discussions on funding are expected to start immediately.
