KEETMANSHOOP – The Keetmanshoop Police have condemned mob justice in the strongest possible terms saying there is no room for kangaroo courts in Namibia.
According to //Karas Police Commissioner Armas Shivute mob justice is criminal and cannot be used as a tool to solve crime.
“I strongly warn the perpetrators of such disturbing incident, because mob justice is unjustifiable. As police we shall never tolerate kangaroo courts that are illegally convened and decide the fate of other people’s lives,” he urged.
Shivute’s sentiments came one day after an outraged father on Wednesday morning hunted down and assaulted a man for the rape of his 19-year-old daughter.
The young woman was allegedly raped on Wednesday morning at about 10h00 in the bushes near the Koppieslaagte residential area of Keetmanshoop.
According to the police the suspect refused to open a case of assault against the father of the woman claiming that he did not see any need in doing so.
“What is really worrying is the fact that the perpetrators of such an act are perceived as heroes by some members of the community. There is nothing heroism when you are beating people,” he said.
According to the Police Crime Investigations Coordinator in the //Karas Region, Deputy Commissioner Rudolf Isaaks, the suspect had been out of prison for only a short while after serving two jail sentences of 30 and 45 days respectively for being in possession of cannabis, when he commited the rape.
The suspect made his first court appearance in the Keetmanshoop Magistrate’s Court on Friday morning. He is still in custody after being denied bail.
By Jemima Beukes