SWAKOPMUND – A commotion between the security force and some angry members of the public broke out at Swakopmund on Friday evening, resulting in malicious damages to the Mondesa police station.

The security cluster during the commotion was also forced to fire warning shots to disperse the angry mob from 22h00.

In an interview with the media on Saturday morning, Erongo community policing commander Inspector Ileni Shapumba said members of the security cluster were attending to a noise complaint of a group of people who were reportedly gathered and drinking at a residence at Omulondo Street in Mondesa.

“Upon the arrival of the members of the force, the group was warned and requested to disperse, as most of them were not residents of the house where they had gathered. They then approached the house owner to disperse the group; however, he refused and started assaulting one of the force members,” Shapumba explained. He added that after the house owner was detained, a mob then flocked to the police station, chanting and demanding for him to be released and then proceeded to throw stones and bottles at the windows of the police station’s administration block and an impounded vehicle.

“They also threw stones at officers, who, although were not seriously injured, had to be taken to hospital.

The angry mob was also venting about what did not appear to be related to the incident, including their dissatisfaction of the lockdown, as well as the lack of housing at the town, Shampumba said. 

According to him, no injuries emanated from the warning shots and the situation was normalised at around 01h00 with the assistance of the special field force.

Sixteen people were arrested in connection with the incident and two cases of assault on police officers while executing official duties, as well as contravening the state of emergency regulation, were opened against them. The suspects are expected to appear in the Swakopmund Magistrate’s Court today. Shapumba said investigations are also ongoing and more arrests are said to follow. He reminded the public that damage to public property should not be the solution to misunderstandings between them and the police, as these are the same property from which they will require help in the future.
– Nampa