Windhoek
The stabbing of a 78-year-old pensioner late Tuesday afternoon allegedly by another pensioner at Immanuel Old Age Home in Okahandja’s Nau-Aib location has sent shockwaves through the town.
Those who spoke to New Era yesterday said it was the first time a stabbing had taken place at an old age home at the town.
Narrating the ordeal that occurred at around 17h25, the matron of Immanuel old age home, Sophia !Naobes, said she was at a meeting outside the premises when a 71-year-old pensioner stabbed to death his 78-year-old peer.
The two men shared a flat at the old age home and an argument erupted late on Tuesday. It is believed the perpetrator then left the premises. But when he later returned the argument continued. “People heard them arguing but we do not really know what caused the argument but insults were apparently hurled,” explained !Naobes.
With the intervention of fellow pensioners the argument stopped briefly, she said.
“But the deceased who was wheelchair-bound apparently followed the perpetrator to the toilet where he attacked him with a knobkerrie,” explained the distraught matron.
That is when the perpetrator retaliated and stabbed his flatmate with a kitchen knife in the left side of the neck. “He died on the spot,” Warrant-Officer Maureen Mbeha, the Namibian Police’s Public Relations Officer for Otjozondjupa Region, told New Era in a telephonic interview yesterday.
!Naobes explained that when she returned from town shortly after 17h30 she was informed about a loud noise that came from the dormitory where the suspect and the deceased lived.
!Naobes said when she entered the quarters of the two pensioners she saw the deceased seated in his wheelchair and in a pool of blood, already dead. “I called the deceased but he did not respond. The suspect was still standing there. I asked him why he stabbed the deceased and he replied the deceased had beaten him. I could see the marks on his body but could not verify his side with the deceased as he was already dead,”!Naobes said. Mbeha told New Era the name of the dead pensioner could not be released as his next of kin were not yet informed of his death. Mbeha also said the perpetrator who was drunk would appear in the Okahandja Magistrate’s Court today.
“I want to appeal to the old people to refrain from fighting each other. This is the first time that something like this is reported at the old age home and it is shocking because we don’t expect our old people to do that because they are our advisors,” Mbeha said. She said the stabbing sent shockwaves through Okahandja. “I’m deeply touched by what happened. I have been living here for two years and I have never seen something like this. We are all like family here.
I am their neighbour and I am really shocked by all this,” said 64-year-old Peter Bail, a resident at the old age home.
Asked why pensioners are allowed to carry sharp knives, !Naobes said pensioners are discouraged from keeping sharp objects.
“But they do stay with knives and other sharp objects in their quarters,” said !Naobes.
When asked on the consumption of alcohol by the old people at the home, she explained that some of them make use of the visiting hours to consume alcohol in the location.
“We tell the old people not to drink alcohol. You know our people. They make use of every chance that they get,” said !Naobes. She said there are closing hours for the old age home and pensioners who come home late are normally locked out. “But they go as far as cutting the fence to make their way into the home,” !Naobes said, adding that she has been pleading with the municipality to build a wall for the home but nothing has yet happened.
There are 39 pensioners living at the old age home. – Additional reporting by Nampa.