WALVIS BAY – Heavily guarded by the Special Reserve Force, police constable Herman Abed, 31, who allegedly shot his ex-girlfriend with a service pistol at Walvis Bay last week over N$900 made his first court appearance at the town yesterday.
Abed, who spent the weekend in police custody, was arrested on Thursday last week after handing himself over to his colleagues at a station he was based, shortly after shooting ex-girlfriend Selma Uupindi. The 22-year-old woman is receiving treatment in Windhoek.
Abed allegedly shot Uupindi three times in Tornyn Geserit Street in Kuisebmond after he allegedly demanded N$900 back from her after she ended their relationship of three years.
The accused during his first appearance told Magistrate Rhivermo Williams that he will obtain a private lawyer for his defence, adding that he will need about three weeks to obtain a lawyer.
State prosecutor Maggi Shiyagaya opposed bail due to the seriousness of the case and the fact that investigations are not done yet. Abed was then denied bail and his case postponed to November 5. He was however informed that he can formally apply for bail in the meantime.
Speaking to New Era yesterday from a Windhoek hospital, Uupindi said that she was shot by the ex-boyfriend for N$900, which he demanded back after she ended their relationship last month.
She alleges that he became emotionally abusive from June this year, resulting in her ending the relationship. The victim also told New Era that the accused allegedly threatened to shoot her last week Wednesday if she refuses to return the N$900. The amount is allegedly for items he bought for her while they were dating. She had registered a case of assault by threatening on Thursday morning, hours before she was shot.
She says she could not immediately open a case as the officers on duty wanted Abed to come in so that they can resolve the matter first.
“He refused to speak to me and walked out of the station and that’s when I made the case,” she said.
According to her, Abed made several threats during the day.
“He shot me once out of the police vehicle and, fired another shot at me as I was running away and fired a third time when I fell down to the ground,” Uupindi said.
She added that they were dating for three years before the relationship ended. “I left him after he told me that he had a baby mama and another girlfriend in Swakopmund, but he could not accept the fact that I did not want him anymore,” Uupindi said.