Michael Amushelelo found in contempt of court over remarks about Joseph Shikongo
Social activist Michael Amushelelo has been found in contempt of court and given a suspended one-month prison sentence for remarks made on social media about suspended Namibian police inspector general Joseph Shikongo. The ruling by Judge Nate Ndauendapo in the Windhoek High Court on Friday stated that Amushelelo breached a settlement agreement with Shikongo, which had been made a High Court order in October 2024. The one-month imprisonment is suspended for one year on conditions that Amushelelo is not found in contempt of Ndauendapo’s order, refrains from publishing further defamatory material about Shikongo, and issues a formal written apology to Shikongo within seven days. This case stems from remarks Amushelelo posted on Facebook in late March last year, which Shikongo claimed violated the October 2024 court order. The original settlement agreement involved Amushelelo apologizing and undertaking to refrain from similar statements, following a defamation case where Shikongo sued Amushelelo for N$1 million. Amushelelo's recent remarks alleged that Shikongo had not been held accountable for his actions in a fatal road collision in December 2022 and called for his arrest. Shikongo claimed these remarks implied culpable homicide and preferential treatment, despite Amushelelo being aware that the police investigation docket was with the Office of the Prosecutor General for a decision on prosecution.
