No bail for former MP accused of rape
Former National Council member Steve Biko Booys, who is accused of raping his biological daughter, was denied bail yesterday.
The 42-year-old Booys, who is also a former Okahandja constituency councillor, was remanded in custody and his case postponed to 14 July when he appeared in the Okahandja Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Magistrate Khaepriums Swartz dismissed Booys’ bail application and was ultimately denied bail.
Asked if Booys will appeal the bail judgment, his lawyer Vernon Lutibezi told New Era they will study the judgment before taking any steps.
“We are still seized with the content of the judgment. We want to familiarise ourselves on the judgment and see the best option to take,” Lutibezi noted.
Booys is denying accusations that he raped his daughter on two occasions in January.
Booys has been in police custody since his arrest on 2 February.
The state is alleging he raped the 20-year-old woman at his home at Okahandja on 16 January and also on 17 January this year.
Through his lawyer, Vernon Lutibezi, Booys submitted during the bail hearing he has business interests, which he said includes a guesthouse at Otjiwarongo, a construction company as well a poultry farm, which requires his active involvement.
However, public prosecutor Bernadine Bertolini opposed his bail application, arguing he was not truthful when he said he did not make contact with the complainant.
“We submit that the accused person is a Namibian citizen and has moveable and immovable properties, but it does not per se mean the applicant is an automatic candidate for bail. If granted bail, the applicant is in the position to influence the victim not to continue with the charges since he is her biological father,” Bertolini argued.
It is also alleged that the complainant was raped while she was affected by sleep or intoxicating liquor or a substance that mentally incapacitated her.
Booys told the court the complainant was at his house on the two days in question.
He said there were drinks at his house, but denied that he provided alcohol to the woman.
Although Booys denied any contact with the victim, Bertolini said the state has evidence in the form of cell phone records and copies of messages that show Booys repeatedly contacted the complainant from 18 January to 2 February.
The prosecutor also told Booys that cell phone messages exchanged between him and his alleged victim showed the contact between them was specifically about the allegations of rape made against him.