Charles Ndeumane
As the fight against gender-based violence continues, with each headline worse than the previous, more and more cases of rape under horrifying circumstances are coming to light.
A disturbing number of them involve minors.
Namibian human rights activist Rosa Namises voiced her concerns over the escalating cases of GBV, advising that it should be declared a national emergency.
“When we remain silent in the face of such violence, we only embolden the abusers to continue their crimes. For instance, the rape case involving an eight-year-old boy has been happening since 2018. How is it possible that nobody saw this crime?” questioned Namises.
She said GBV has been around since time immemorial, but it is getting out of hand, and people need to speak out against these crimes.
Raped, murdered
One such case occurred in Omundaungilo village in the Ohangwena region, where a 40-year-old woman was allegedly raped and murdered.
The victim was reportedly heading home from a local shebeen when she was dragged into the bushes, raped and strangled to death by the suspect.
According to the police report over the weekend, it is alleged that the victim was seen leaving the shebeens alone late last Wednesday evening.
She was heavily intoxicated, the report further states.
It is suspected that the suspect followed the victim and caught up with her, dragged her into the bushes and committed the gruesome act. The victim has been identified as Kristofina Lucia Hamulenge, and her next of kin have been informed. The suspect, an adult Namibian male, was arrested on Friday and was due to appear in court on Monday.
Complicity
In a shocking turn of events, a local medical doctor and his mother have been arrested for the rape of the suspect’s eight-year-old son.
The medical doctor practising at Katutura Hospital, who also assists at the GBV unit in Windhoek with rape cases, was arrested last week for allegedly raping his biological son.
It is alleged that he has been raping his son since 2018.
The suspect’s 58-year-old mother has also been arrested for allegedly assisting in the crime.
According to the police crime report, the incident took place at the suspect’s residence in Klein Windhoek between 2018 and February 2024.
Namibian Police spokesperson Kauna Shikwambi stated that the suspect appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court last Thursday, and were remanded in custody.
Pensioner rapes minor
In another rape case involving a minor, Leonard Pendapala Namuhuya (67) has recently been denied bail for the second time, in a case in which he is accused of raping a minor that was put under his care.
During an interview with the victim’s mother, she told New Era that the suspect is married to her relative and she gave her child to be raised by the suspect and his wife.
She said the victim was given when she was about three and they have been taking care of her up to the time of the alleged rape.
It is alleged that the rape took place in April 2024 at the suspect’s residence in Oniipa. The suspect’s wife had allegedly gone to look for bread when he went into the room where the victim slept and raped her.
It was discovered by the mother two weeks after the incident took place, that the victim had difficulty walking and was taken to the hospital for medical examination.
“She would not tell us what had happened, but the doctor’s report stated that she was sexually assaulted, resulting in tears around her privates,” stated the mother.
The suspect had been denied bail twice in the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court and is remanded in custody.
In yet another appalling incident, a 13-year-old minor from Oshikukutu village in the Oshikoto region was allegedly raped under coercive circumstances.
It was by a 19-year-old Angolan national who worked as a domestic worker in the victim’s neighbours’ house. The suspect has been apprehended and appeared in the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court yesterday.