WINDHOEK -The Namibian Police (Nampol) is still investigating the case of a man who is accused of raping, genitally defiling and mutilating a 10-year-old girl last year.
Making an appearance in Katutura Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, Gewen Gawanab, 25, was informed that police investigations into his case are yet to be completed, hence his court case has been remanded to a later date.
The Namibian Police arrested Gawanab in October 2018 after a successful manhunt. During his first court appearance, the court refused to release Gawanab on bail, citing that investigations were incomplete and due to the fact that he has numerous criminal cases of a similar nature against him.
Gawanab is currently in police custody where he will remain following Magistrate Johannes Shuuveni’s order to postpone the case to August 13 in order to give the police ample time to finalize their investigations into his case.
Gawanab is currently facing 11 criminal cases including seven counts of rape and several counts of attempted rape pending.
His recent case involves a 10-year-old girl whom he allegedly raped on October 26, 2018, in Havana, Windhoek. According to police reports at the time, Gawanab cut the 10-year-old girl’s genitals before he violently defiled her along the Daan Viljoen road where the children were walking towards farm Satan Logh. It is alleged that after committing the gruesome act Gawanab fled into the mountains.
Gawanab, who is alleged to be a predator of minor children, was on bail of N$1500 in another criminal case. It is alleged that Gawanab was released from police custody in connection with a rape which also happened in Havana in 2017 three months prior.
Of these 11 cases, Gawanab was arrested in September 2015 for raping his niece who was six years old at the time, in Havana. The case was transferred to the Regional Court and he is due to appear for his trial. Gawanab was out on bail for this case as well.