Two workers were murdered while a third, alleged to be the suspect, committed suicide days after the horror incident at Farm Josephine near Dordabis in the Khomas region.

The incident that is believed to have occurred on Saturday, left the farm owner in shock, after two decomposed bodies of his workers were uncovered by the police following a call of a suspected robbery which turned out to be false. The decomposed bodies of 22-year-old Visser Bock and 30-year-old Albertus Bock were discovered on Tuesday.

The owner, a retired judge, was unable to speak on the matter in detail as he was still reeling from shock.

It is believed that retired judge Gerhard Maritz received a call from one of his workers on Tuesday morning, informing him that there was an ongoing armed robbery conducted by six men. 

The judge then called the police to rush to the scene, just to discover decomposed bodies of the workers who had been killed days ago. 

According to the police report shared by the public relations office, the police allegedly discovered two decomposed bodies in two different rooms, with one bullet each.

Maritz described the event as devastating and opted not to share more light as per the directive of the investigating officer.

“I understand your job as a journalist, however, I am operating under the instruction of an investigating officer. He directed me not to share any personal information to anyone other than the police, but to refer all enquires to the police,” he said. 

The investigating officer, who identified himself only as sergeant Sackaria, said the directives were given out of concern. 

“I gave the directives because the victim, who is also the State witness, was not in his normal state of mind and was also receiving so many phone calls from different people. Secondly, I also told him that because his statement is not yet obtained and if he speaks to the media, it will be contradictory,” said the investigation officer.

Those who are in the know, anonymously told New Era that the retired judge was shaken, as one of the deceased was his right-hand man. 

It has also been revealed yesterday that the person believed to be the main suspect in the matter also ended his life shortly after seeing the police at his homestead in the Oshana region.

According to Namibian Police spokesperson Kauna Shikwambi, police officers visited the suspect, identified as Michael Martin (30), yesterday morning at Oshikweyo village in Eheke in the Oshana region, where he allegedly turned a gun on himself, dying instantly.

“Martin shot himself in clear view of the police and some family members. The stolen vehicle was found a few metres away from his residence. The firearm used is amongst the stolen items from the farm,” Shikwambi said.

Police sources said the deceased suspect probably committed the murders on Saturday afternoon, stole a Land Cruiser and drove the vehicle to the north thereafter. 

“I think the suspect was worried that days passed without being contacted, that’s why he contacted the farm owner with a false robbery report,” said the source. 

A police source further alleged information started reaching him that the police was looking for him. Upon the police receiving information to locate him, they contacted their colleagues in Oshana to apprehend him. 

The police on Tuesday shared a crime report that stated the suspect (Martin) contacted Maritz about an ongoing robbery at the farmhouse by six armed persons who demanded the password to the safe to be provided via telephone, which the employer refused to give. 

“The employer (farm owner) alerted the police and they arrived together at the farm. Upon preliminary investigations, they discovered two dead bodies inside the farmworkers’ rooms both with gunshot wounds to their heads. Further investigations reveal that the scene was not fresh as alleged, hence the bodies of the deceased were almost in a decomposed state,” said the police.

The farmworker who made the call was not on the farm and is believed to have left the farm three days before. He made the call while not in the same region according to preliminary investigations.