Criminal Justice in the Namibian Defence Force

The Namibian Defence Force (NDF), like any other organization, is responsible for the maintenance of discipline within its organization. Similar to most other defence forces, the NDF also has its own "legal system" within the force. In order to determine whether the requirements for a fair trial are complied with the main objective of this work is the investigation into the justice system within the military society which includes the specific procedures, the different authorities, the rights of an accused and the assurance of a speedy trial. The administration of justice within the military must not be regarded as an isolated system but must be measured to the provisions of the civil justice system as well as the norms set for the society as a whole. Therefore, the rules of evidence and general principles of a fair trial and principles of justice as applied by the public courts also apply to military courts. This work should, especially as reference material, be useful to military officers and also to the public at large who wish to have a better understanding of the application of justice within a military environment.