Namibia's Agriculture Minister Dismissed Amid Rape Allegations

NANamibia|

Namibia's Agriculture Minister, Mac-Albert Hengari, has been dismissed following accusations of raping a 16-year-old girl five years ago. Hengari, 59, was arrested on Saturday after allegedly attempting to bribe the victim, now 21, to withdraw her complaint, according to police reports. He appeared in a Windhoek court on Monday, facing charges of obstructing justice and was denied bail due to concerns he might flee or contact witnesses.

This incident marks a significant controversy for Namibia's new president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who assumed office last month and has made a commitment to female representation in government. The president's office did not provide specific reasons for Hengari's dismissal from both his ministerial position and the National Assembly. The opposition party, Independent Patriots for Change, criticized the government’s handling of the situation, citing it as indicative of a failure in leadership concerning gender-based violence, an issue that is particularly pressing in the country, which reported 4,814 gender violence cases last year.

Hengari is now under investigation for multiple serious charges, including kidnapping and rape.

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