Onalulago
A 51-year-old schoolteacher died a horrific death when she was shot and burned allegedly by her husband on Wednesday.
The deceased was identified as Justina Shipanga – a pre-primary schoolteacher from Onalulago village near Oshigambo in Oshikoto Region. She taught at a school in her village.
Although details are sketchy, it is alleged the 57-year-old husband whose name cannot be revealed as he is yet to appear in court went to pick her up from school.
Moments later, he allegedly passed by a house of one villager and informed the unnamed villager that he had killed his wife.
It is alleged the man who was admitted to Onandjokwe Hospital shot his wife while she was still in the car and set the vehicle on fire before handing himself over to the police.
Commissioner Karl Theron of the Oshana Police said the suspect was admitted to hospital because he accidentally shot himself in the leg while trying to activate the
safety mechanism on the gun reportedly used in the heinous crime.
“He is now under police guard. He has not appeared in court yet and police are investigating the case,” said Theron.
Relating the events prior to the shocking incident the school principal, who was one of the people that ran to the scene, said the late Shipanga asked for permission to leave work at 14h20.
“She wanted to go to Natis to sort out car registration documents for the car that she previously owned. At 15h00, we received information that she had passed on. It is really really sad,” said Wilka Kati, the school principal at Onalulago
Members of the community that arrived first at the scene allegedly divided themselves into two groups – some searched for the body in the house, while others tried to extinguish the fire in the car with sand.
“When we realised that we could not find her, one man from the village suggested that maybe her body was in the burning car. When we looked carefully we discovered something that looked like an arm, hanging somewhere in the car. When police arrived at the scene, our suspicion was confirmed. She was burned beyond recognition,” she said.
Kati said the late Shipanga was one of her most dedicated teachers who created and maintained a conducive learning environment for the Namibian child.
“She was orderly and dedicated. She was not the type of a person that you would be behind because she has not done her work, she was a responsible person. This is really sad,” she said.