The Windhoek High Court on Friday ordered Abed Hishoono to pay First Lady Monica Geingos N.dollars 250 000 for defamatory remarks he made against her last year.

In a ruling read by Judge Orben Sibeya, Hishoono who is a regional mobiliser for the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) in the Ohangwena Region, was also ordered to retract the defamatory remarks he made against Geingos and apologise by recording a video and distributing it to the same WhatsApp group where he distributed the first one.

Geingos filed a N.dollars 350 000 defamation lawsuit against Hishoono for recording and sharing a video of himself in which he made false statements against the first lady, by claiming that Geingos corruptly influenced the planned liquidation of Air Namibia to protect and advance her own economic interests as she is a shareholder of Westair Aviation and was instrumental in its establishment.

Hishoono further claimed that Geingos has a son with fishrot accused James Hatuikulipi who is currently in prison awaiting trial. He also Saif Geingos’ marriage to President Hage Geingob was arranged by Hatuikulipi.

During the trial, Geingos testified that Hishoono was careless and had no regard for her feelings, reputation, dignity or family when he made the false statements. She noted that Hishoono is insinuating that her marriage to Geingob was not of her own choice, implying that she is an object that can be bought, and the statements not only hurt her reputation and dignity, but have also caused a threat to her security.

“It appears that he only made the concerning statements in order to score cheap political points at the expense of my dignity and reputation,” said Geingos.

Geingos went on to say, at the time of the video, Namibians were angry about the liquidation of Air Namibia, and she feared for her safety and that of her family. She also denied allegations that her son is fathered by James Hatuikulipi, and said she knows him because they went to high school and university together, and through business circles.

Hishoono, who is a teacher by profession at a primary school in the Ohangwena Region, admitted to recording and sharing the video on WhatsApp groups.

He explained that he was not targeting anyone, and was discussing a topic that was circulating in the public domain at the time.

He added that he fell victim to rumours by repeating what was being said in the public sphere, adding that he apologised to Geingos but she rejected his apology.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency