WINDHOEK – Eleven people – most of them brutally stabbed with knives – lost their lives over the payday weekend, according to statistics issued by the police on Sunday.
Police spokesman Inspector Slogan Matheus confirmed that 11 murders were reported across the country.
One of the victims Kovio Katjirindi died on Saturday at about 03h30 after he was hit with an iron bar on the chest at Erf LK 152 B in Monte Christo Road in Havana, Katutura.
It is alleged the deceased went to his girlfriend’s place and a heated argument erupted between them.
The brother of the girlfriend who stays in the neighbouring room went to intervene and tried to stop the argument.
The deceased then argued
with the suspect who is the woman’s brother and the deceased reportedly took out a knife to stab the suspect, but the suspect hit the deceased with an iron bar on the chest which caused him to fall to the ground where he died.
The next of kin were informed and the suspect, a 21-year-old male was arrested and is expected to appear in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court today.
In an unrelated incident, 28-year-old Sam Simeon died as a result of a gunshot wound at about 04h00 on Saturday at Club Pamodzi in Katutura.
It is alleged a group of people who were still inside the club after closing time were ordered to leave the club and as they exited they milled around outside the club’s premises.
It is further alleged that as they were standing outside, a gunshot was heard. Of the four security guards on duty only one was armed with a firearm.
The three unarmed guards went inside the club, while the armed guard remained on guard outside.
The mob then attacked the guard outside with stones and bottles and he shot and killed the deceased.
The mob then stormed the entrance and started breaking everything inside the club, including pool tables, the jukebox, fridges and mirrors and looted alcoholic beverages and money that was in the club.
The mob allegedly also broke into the adjacent food store and stole all the food inside.
A case of murder was opened against the security guard and one of housebreaking with intent to rob and robbery against the mob. Ten people, two females and eight males, were taken in for questioning, but it is not known whether anyone was arrested.
The murder docket will be forwarded to the office of the prosecutor general for a decision on whether to prosecute.
The next of kin have been informed and investigations continue.
Police at Witvlei opened a case of murder after 22-year-old Godley Dan was stabbed to death by a 17-year-old suspect.
It is alleged the deceased and the suspect were amongst people drinking at Tafel Huis bar at the settlement when the deceased lit a cigarette and the suspect asked to share the cigarette.
A quarrel broke out between them and the suspect stabbed the deceased on the left side of the chest.
The deceased was taken to the Witvlei clinic where he died.
The suspect was arrested and is expected to appear in the Gobabis Magistrate’s Court today.
An 18-year-old suspect was arrested at Koës in the //Karas Region after he allegedly stabbed his father to death.
According to the crime briefing the suspect had an argument at home with his nine-year-old sister and the sister ran to a nearby bar where her mother worked.
At the bar, Club Indaba in Plaatjiesheuwel location, she found both her parents who intervened in the argument. The deceased then allegedly slapped the suspect who followed his sister to the bar and the suspect took out a knife and stabbed the deceased once between the neck and chest.
The deceased died on the scene and the suspect was arrested and will appear today on a charge of murder read with the Domestic Violence Act.
The deceased was identified as 38-year-old Jacobus Isaacks and the next of kin were formally informed.
The police at Kalkrand are investigating a case of murder and robbery after a 76-year-old man was found dead with his hands tied behind his back and his mouth and nose covered with plastic adhesive.
German national Reynard Schmidt, from Hoodia Lodge between Omamas and Schlip, was discovered in his bedroom by an employee on February 27.
According to information available the deceased last spoke to his wife in Germany the previous day.
Footsteps at the scene indicated more than one suspect were involved, the police revealed, but could not say how many.
Footsteps led to the main road and so far it was established that a flat screen TV, a pistol and an assault rifle were stolen.
Police investigations continue.
In another incident of stabbing, Ben Deon van Rooyen, 41, died after he was stabbed by a 24-year-old suspect in Rehoboth on Sunday morning.
It is alleged the suspect and his girlfriend were on their way home from a dance and were involved in an argument.
The deceased who came from behind them then allegedly told the suspect to stop arguing with his girlfriend.
They started quarrelling and the deceased chased the suspect and when the suspect fell down started to beat him.
In a bid to free himself from the deceased, the suspect took a knife and stabbed the deceased.
The deceased allegedly managed to walk away, only to fall down in the veldt next to an open erf.
His body was discovered the next morning by family members of the suspect who called the police.
The suspect was arrested and will appear in the Rehoboth Magistrate’s Court today.
In another incident of murder read with the Domestic Violence Act, 30-year-old Christine Geises was axed to death by her boyfriend aged 39 after she refused to prepare food.
According to the crime report, Geises and the suspect were drinking together at a bar prior to the incident at Tsara-Eibes location in Orwetoveni, Otjiwarongo on February 28.
They decided to go home to prepare food, but the deceased insisted on going back to the bar and an argument started.
The suspect then allegedly went to the house of the deceased’s brother and fetched an axe which he used to hit the deceased on the back of the head killing her instantly.