/ 19 February 1998

Editor Smith out on bail

THURSDAY, 5.00PM:

Windhoek Observer editor Hannes Smith was granted R1000 bail after appealing his prison sentence for contempt of court in the Windhoek High Court on Thursday morning.

Smith, 64, was jailed last Friday on contempt of court charges, after failing to produce documents potentially vital to the second inquest into the death of assassinated Swapo activist Anton Lubowski.

It is not yet known when the appeal will be heard.

At the inquest, Smith gave conflicting excuses for not producing the documents, and the judge called him a liar. Smith has undertaken to look for the documents and prove their actual existence.

The Namibian has reported that Johannesburg council employee Martin Hennig, named by Smith during the inquest as the triggerman in the Lubowski murder, intends suing Smith for defamation of character.