By Surihe Gaomas WINDHOEK The string of rape cases in which women and children are the main victims, the numerous suicides, the escape of trial-awaiting prisoners, a police officer being shot and wounded, fatal accidents and brutal murders all epitomize the festive season. The latest data reveals a sad state of affairs, starting off with the shocking rape of a four-year-old disabled girl by a 14-year-old boy in Grootfontein on December 5. Last Thursday saw yet another raping spree in the Outapi region at Ombalantu when a 19-year-old man was arrested for numerously raping a 7-year-old boy. Shockingly, the same suspect also raped a 4-year-old girl and a boy during the same week. On Saturday of last week a 14-year-old girl was found seriously assaulted after being raped by an unknown suspect under the bridge at Wernhill Park in the capital. It seems taxis are also not safe to make use of. An unknown taxi-driver allegedly raped a 21-year-old woman in a riverbed in Wanaheda. “The victim allegedly took a red Toyota Corolla taxi from Shoprite in Katutura to go home to Babylon location. The driver stopped the vehicle at a certain riverbed, pulled out a pistol, tied up the victim and raped her,” read the Police crime report. The suspect then took off with the victim’s cellphone valued at N$800. Two more rapes of middle-aged women were reported over the last long weekend in Katutura. Jailbreaks have also become common incidents at this time of year. Last week there were two escapes from lawful custody in the Erongo Region. The latest escapes took place yesterday, just a few minutes after midnight, at the Swakopmund Police cells when three trial-awaiting prisoners allegedly opened the door of their cell and jumped through the window. One escapee, 20-year-old Russin Garoeb, who was being held for housebreaking and theft, was re-arrested. The two others were Thomas Haungeya, held on a charge of robbery, and Davis Sakeus, held on a charge of housebreaking and theft. Both are also 20 years of age. Similarly, three trial-awaiting prisoners escaped from the Usakos Police cells after they allegedly broke the door frame with an iron bar. One of the prisoners has been re-arrested by the police, while the other two are still at large. Although minimal, three suicides have been reported in the north and at the coast. While most suicide hangings are done with the use of a rope, a 41-year-old woman from Uukwaluudhi, Salmi Nuuwela Iita, allegedly hanged herself with a scarf under a mopane tree in her mother’s mahangu field. In an unusual turn of events, a police constable was shot and wounded at the four-way Otavi Filling Station at about 04:00 last Friday when two suspects reportedly broke into the premises. One of them grabbed the police officer’s rifle and fired 29 shots, wounding the constable in the left hand and a petrol attendant in the abdomen, right arm and left leg. During the struggle, the suspect was overpowered by the police officer who regained possession of the firearm, according to the report which also stated that the victims were taken to the Otjiwarongo State Hospital.