Keetmanshoop residents staged a peaceful protest on Wednesday , calling for the removal of Principal Magistrate Unchen Konjore . The protest comes a week after Konjore struck the case of two police officers accused of assaulting 31 – year – old Elleste Plaatjie at Keetmanshoop in January last year , off the court roll . Plaatjie died a week later in the Katutura Intermediate Hospital in Windhoek . According to the State , the Prosecutor General ’ s decision is still pending as investigations are not complete . Konjore said the case can be added to the court roll again once the investigation is finalised and the State is ready to continue with the matter . “ The State will suffer no prejudice if the accused are resummoned once investigations are finalised and the decision is ready ,” said Konjore . The group in their petition read by community activist , Easter Isaak , alleged discrepancies in case management . They alleged that serious crimes like domestic violence , stock theft and rape remain unresolved fo
r years while the police officers involved in a murder case were shown leniency . “ There are cases of domestic violence that take over two years . Drinking and driving cases are postponed 10 times , rape cases remain unresolved for three years , but a murder case involving police officers is struck off the court roll ,” said the group . They questioned why the magistrate did not summon the investigating officer to explain the delay in the case instead of removing it from the court roll . “ This case was before court four times and that was enough for her , compared to someone appearing in court 10 times or more for the same reason – of the state not being ready – but cases are not removed from the court roll ,” they said . The group further demanded that the Magistrates ’ Commission consider transferring Konjore to a different region or removing her from all pending matters involving police officers to maintain the integrity of the judiciary . “ This office has two days to respond to our petition . We have e
ndured these injustices for too long , it is time for accountability and meaningful reforms in our justice system . Magistrate Konjore has overstayed her welcome in Keetmanshoop ,” read their petition

Source: The Namibia News Agency