A 39-year-old woman who stands accused of physically assaulting a 12-year-old girl who was in her care, was denied bail during her first court appearance in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

Maria Johannes appeared before Magistrate Ngahivirikue Jileen Kapia, where her case was postponed to 27 February 2023 for further police investigation.

She was arrested after a video of a 12-year-old girl with physical evidence of abuse, which included a swollen face, was circulated on social media last week.

The girl is the daughter of a friend of Johannes who was unable to raise the child herself.

The minor’s biological mother opened a case with the police against the suspect after the video went viral.

According to the Namibian Police Force’s spokesperson, Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, Johannes was arrested on 02 January 2023 and is beingdetained at Wanaheda Police Station. She was charged with assault, four cases of Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH), malicious damage to property and contravening section 7 of the Child Care and Protection Act 3 of 2015.

The case attracted the attention of members of the community who recorded the victim and circulated the video on social media platforms, which led to the arrest of the suspect.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency