Ex-cabinet minister and current member of Parliament Pohamba Shifeta has denied rape allegations after a criminal case was opened against him by a woman with whom he has fathered a five-year-old girl.
The purported rape incident happened on Independence Day, some three months ago.
But the case was only opened on Monday.
Shifeta dismissed the allegations as completely false and said they are part of a long-standing personal vendetta by the woman.
Her identity is known to New Era.
“I have still not been contacted by the investigative authorities, but I am now aware of the case opened by my baby mama, who is retaliating after I successfully obtained a protection order against her on 2 July 2025, which was issued on 8 July 2025 and remains valid until 8 September 2025,” he said in an interview yesterday.
According to a police crime report that has been circulating on social media, it is alleged that Shifeta forced himself on the victim and engaged in sexual acts with her without consent at Suiderhof in the Khomas region.
The report further details that the victim went out for dinner with her cousin, and while she was still at a club, Shifeta allegedly started calling her, but she did not answer.
“Afterwards, the victim and cousin drove home. Upon arriving home, the victim went to take a shower. While in the shower, she heard the suspect’s voice around the house, speaking to her cousin. When she finished bathing, she went straight to bed, and about 20 minutes later, she noticed the suspect on top of her, engaging in sexual activities forcefully. She was resisting, and he only stopped after she vomited because she was under the influence of alcohol,” the report states.
Deputy Namibian Police Inspector General for Administration, Anna-Marie Nainda, confirmed that the case has truly been registered at the Windhoek police station and investigations will commence as per procedure.
“At this time, we can only confirm that the case has been registered here in Windhoek, and the investigations will start. We cannot comment further, as the case was just brought to our attention today from the police station,” she added.
Vendetta
Shifeta provided detailed accounts of what he describes as ongoing harassment from the woman.
He said the tension began when he made it clear that he would only pick up their child from school or send someone else and would not go to her home for the holidays.
“She then started asking why I can’t come to her house like the father of her other child does. I said I’m not going there, and that’s when the problems started,” he said.
He said that on the last day of school in June, he picked up the child, but the next day, the woman forced her way into his gated estate with another woman by using a resident’s remote to gain access. Security guards, who had already been instructed not to allow her in, alerted Shifeta, who was at the gym at the time.
“She drove in forcefully and went straight to the house, saying she had to see the father of her child. Security had to follow her. She refused to leave and claimed she came for the child, who had just come from her the day before,” he explained.
Shifeta added that she allegedly began manipulating the child by instructing her not to eat unless the food came from her father and trying to turn household workers and even his grown daughter against him.
“She was recruiting people. My daughter told me she asked her to take pictures of the house. Even the nanny was being used, so I had to fire her,” he said.
On 19 June, tensions between Shifeta and the mother of his five-year-old daughter escalated further when she allegedly showed up at his wife’s workplace and caused a scene.
“She went there with another man to harass my wife,” Shifeta claimed. “She was shouting and trying to assault her. People at the office had to intervene and restrain her.”
According to Shifeta, the woman accused his wife of physically assaulting the child, a claim he strongly denies.
“She opened a case against my wife, claiming she beat the child. But that’s not true. On that day, my wife was not even home. The child was with two nannies and my sister. We were out,” he said.
In response, Shifeta opened a criminal case of assault against the woman and also took legal action to protect herself. “My wife’s lawyer sent a letter to her, instructing her not to come near her workplace or our home again,” Shifeta said.
A letter seen by New Era from Viljoen, Viljoen & Vennote partners dated 21 June 2025, indicated that she suffered emotional and physical trauma due to the criminal conduct of the baby mama; “hence, she is advised to refrain from making further defamatory or slanderous remarks.”
According to him, the woman has since attempted to involve his adult daughter in the case to challenge the protection order’s finalisation hearing set for 8 September.
“She told my 22-year-old daughter she must be a witness. This is all revenge,” he said.
Despite the serious allegations against him, Shifeta said that no police officer or investigator has contacted him. “I only saw the report on social media and people sending me messages asking what is going on,” he said.