Windhoek
A family event turned into a tragedy when a 31-year-old visiting Motswana died at a Namibian deputy minister’s wedding on Saturday in Windhoek, after he allegedly consumed too much alcohol.
The tragedy happened during the wedding ceremony of the Deputy Minister of Marginalised Communities, Royal Jonah Kxao /Ui/o/oo.
The deputy minister said his nephew, Galethabeng Tjikutirua, from Botswana, was visiting him with the intention to renounce his Botswana citizenship to reside in Namibia, but his life was cut short on Saturday evening.
“He took excessive alcohol and the doctor’s letter states that. We think he mixed beer and hot stuff and he didn’t dilute the hot stuff, he was just drinking it like that. We think it’s heart failure,” said the saddened deputy minister from his home yesterday.
The deputy minister wedded his partner on Friday and had a party on Saturday at home.
Tjikutirua was found dead at 21h00 behind the deputy minister’s Toyota pickup. He was declared dead by emergency personnel at the scene.
Chief Inspector Kauna Shikwambi said it is alleged Tjikutirua spent an hour in the bakkie before he was discovered. Shikwambi said the deceased was invited to the party and was seen to be drunk. He later became unconscious and subsequently died. “No foul play is suspected,” said Shikwambi.
She said a post-mortem would be conducted to determine the cause of death. His next of kin have been informed and the police investigation continues.
In Erongo Region, a 34-year-old man at Uis was arrested after he grabbed a seven-year-old while she was playing with other kids in the street, which is nearby a riverbed. “He took her into the riverbed and raped her. After the incident the suspect fled,” said Shikwambi.
She stated that the police were notified and while attending the rape scene and in search of the suspect, another complaint was received about a man who grabbed an 8-year-old girl in the same street.
“He was seen holding her mouth and running towards the riverbed. Members of the public saw him and chased him until they caught up with him. They brought him to the police station.”
In a similar incident at Sesfontein in Kunene Region a 44-year-old man was arrested for the rape of a 15-year-old mentally ill girl last Friday evening.
According to Shikwambi the suspect, who farms with the victim’s parents outside Sesfontein, invited her to go with him to the garden behind the house. “The suspect forcefully removed the victim’s underwear and had sexual intercourse without her consent. Afterwards, when she returned home the sister became suspicious as she seemed dirty of sand, and when asked what had happened she managed to explain,” said Shikwambi.
At Omuthiya in Oshikoto Region, a 30-year-old man was arrested at King Nehale resettlement. It is alleged the man had on several occasions raped a 14-year-old girl in the bush.