Family members of Riddick Ricky Narib, who is accused of killing his stepson, Wilfred Dantani Eiseb, on Friday, issued a heartfelt apology to his mother and Namibians at large for the senseless killing.
The heavily traumatised Williward Narib, shortly after his brother appeared in court, said they are trying to make sense of the evil deed.
Narib (27) on Friday, after tormenting his estranged wife Memory Eises (33) for a week, took his stepson, who was in the company of two other children, from a tuckshop and killed him.
Little Eiseb’s body, buried in a shallow grave in the dunes, was found by a community member, who immediately alerted the police.
Narib, after the evil deed, sent Eises a chilling message in which he told her he murdered her son, a child he had raised.
“Therefore, I want to apologise on behalf of my family for the innocent bloodshed by our brother. We do not support the act, and humbly ask for forgiveness, as a family, from the bottom of our hearts, his brother Williward Narib said yesterday.
He said they, as a family, wished they could have turned back time for a different outcome.
According to Narib, they would have told Ricky to take his life had they known he was about to commit such an act.
“Please forgive us and accept our apologies to fellow Namibian citizens, our women, children and the world at large. As a family, with remorseful hearts, we are in the state where we also want to ask our brother one question, which is, why?… and we are expecting a million answers,” he said.
Three charges
Ricky, who showed no emotion, made his first court appearance in a fully packed courtroom.
He, during the court proceedings, was informed he faces three charges, namely murder, obstructing the course of justice and kidnapping.
Ricky then entered a not-guilty plea and also indicated he will conduct his own defence. Meanwhile, a small group of women and men, dressed in all black, protested shortly before his appearance in court.
The protesters not only demanded justice but for a change in how gender-based violence cases were handled, specifically at the Tutaleni and Kuisebmond police stations.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Maureen Hoases said Eiseb’s death was caused by pure negligence of police officers, who failed to see the seriousness of his mother’s plight.
“We have two police stations and the gender-based violence unit. They have no compassion for the community they serve. How can you wait for three hours to be assisted?” the angry Somaes asked outside the court.
She added not only are some police officers rude, but they also choose sides if they know the suspects.
“They will blatantly tell us to wait until someone who speaks our language comes on duty. Had they assisted this poor mother on Tuesday, we would not have been here today. We are hurting and demand change,” Somaes said.
She now demands the police commander, station commanders and local councillors intervene and address these challenges, as the police are not there to serve only one tribe.
Our lives were in danger
Eises on Friday, shortly after the child’s murder, blamed and accused the police of an uncaring attitude and negligence.
She said failure by the police to protect her and her children from an alleged violent and abusive husband, who ignored a court date, has led to the death of her son.
“I begged, pleaded and sat for hours at the Kuisebmond police station for help, but left without being taken seriously on Wednesday. I told the police that my life is in danger, and my blood would be on their hands if anything happens to me or my children,” Eises said.
Eises, who is in the process of divorcing her husband, who allegedly stalked and abused her, said the police failed her and her son.
Erongo police spokesperson Ileni Shapumba earlier told this publication that the accusations are serious and that the police have sanctioned an investigation.