Namibian Agriculture Minister Mac-Albert Hangari fired for accusations of rape

The Minister of Agriculture of Namibia was fired after being charged with raping a 16-year-old girl five years ago.

Mc-albert Hangari was arrested on Saturday after claiming to have tried to bribe the victim, who is already 21 years old, to withdraw the case against him, police say.

The 59 -year -old Hengana, who denied any misconduct, appeared in court on Monday and was denied a guarantee.

This is the first major scandal for the first female president of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, as she took office last month.

The statement of the president’s cabinet does not show the reasons for the dismissal, but it is said that Hangari was also rejected by the National Assembly.

Hangari was nominated for parliament by the president to represent the ruling party, Swapo.

It is in the process of investigating numerous accusations related to the case, including abduction, rape and attack, police say.

On Monday, he appeared before the magistrate court in the capital Windhoek, faced with a charge of preventing justice.

He and his accomplice will remain in custody until June 3, when the next hearing is scheduled. They were denied a guarantee on the grounds that they could be the risk of flight and could seek to contact witnesses.

The independent patriots of the opposition for change said the arrest of Henganar “on charges of rape, abduction and forced abortion” was “a deep failure of leadership and exposes the coupe of government rhetoric on gender -based violence.”

It says the case came against the background of “widespread gender violence”, with 4,814 cases of violence last year. The country has a population of three million.

The party also criticized the verification process, saying that the president had appointed Henganar “Despite the criminal investigation, it was allegedly opened in November 2024.”

President Nandy-Nittawa last month presented a cabinet described as innovative for the representation of women-as nine 14 members are women, including the Vice-President.

The 72-year-old won the November election with a 58% share of the vote.

She has been a long-term member of the SWAPO-who has been in power since the country gained independence in 1990 after a long struggle against Apartheid South Africa.

Additional reporting from Shingai Nyoka