WINDHOEK – Convicts at the Windhoek Correctional facility called on the killer(s) of late nine-year-old Cheryl Avihe Ujaha to turn themselves in.
They warned the killer(s) might escape man’s justice but not God’s justice.
A group of convicts from the Windhoek facility joined the nation in attending Ujaha’s public memorial service at the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare after school centre in Grysblock held on Thursday evening.
She was laid to rest on Saturday at Pioneerspark in Windhoek.
In the speech read by Collin Swartbooi on behalf of other convicts, he reminded the killer(s) that the arm of the law is long and it will catch up with them one way or another, hence the call to surrender themselves.
“We urge you to come forth and surrender yourself wherever you are. This will heal you and bring back your inner peace and it will also bring peace and healing to the bereaved family,” stated Swartbooi.
Ujaha was reported missing on August 26 and her dismembered body was found two days later in a riverbed near Staanvas in Katutura.
Offenders attended the memorial to support late Ujaha’s maternal grandfather, pastor Seth Kaimu of El Shadai Ministries who has been working with offenders for the past two decades enriching them with spiritual growth.
Swartbooi told the perpetrator(s) that as convicts some of them have gone through what the person(s) are going through now.
“We have committed crimes and try to escape from the arm of the law and judiciary, but our guilty conscious haunted us making us to lose our peace of mind,” he remarked.
To those thinking of committing crimes, Swartbooi warned to be aware, as crime does not pay. He said the consequences of being incarcerated are worse.
Swartbooi told pastor Kaimu not to feel discouraged and disappointed but have faith and continue to minister the word of God because through this word many of them came to know the Lord.
Similarly, Pastor Haruna Goroh of Greater Love Ministries prayed for the arrest of the perpetrators and against the love of money. Pastor Zelda van der Colf called on government to re- introduce biblical studies in schools.
Van der Colf stated the first thing that he has been requested to give inmates in the correctional facility is a Bible, but the first thing we have taken away from schools is the Bible.
Namibia Correctional Services Deputy Commissioner General for Correctional Operations Tuafeni Hangula said pastor Kaimu has been assisting the facility attains their mission.
“He has been a partner for 35 years for the correctional service by providing or servicing offenders with their spiritual needs, hence we owed it to him like he has been supporting us. And his fruits can be seen here because of his contribution, we have these offenders here this evening,” he said.