ONGWEDIVA – A 40-year-old man was arrested yesterday in connection with the rape and murder of a 22-month-old toddler girl in the Omusati region.

The region’s police chief, Ismael Basson, said the incident occurred on Saturday at Omakuku village in the area of Ogongo. 

It is reported that the suspect was arrested after the police received information that he tried to rape two girls, aged 10 and seven, the previous night. 

They all live in the same house. 

It is alleged that the suspect used an unknown object to assault the victim all over the body and on the head, which resulted in the victim sustaining head injuries that caused her death. 

The police also said after the postmortem was conducted, it was found the victim was raped on several occasions. 

The victim’s aunt reported the incident. 

This case comes after a nine-year-old girl was reportedly raped on two occasions during the month of October by her uncle in Oshikoto. 

The police’s community affairs officer, Ellen Nehale, said the victim was allegedly raped by the uncle on two different occasions. 

“The suspect allegedly used to carry the victim to his sleeping room, remove her clothes and rape her,” she said. 

She added the victim informed one of her neighbours, who alerted the school, which in turn reported the matter to the police. 

- vkaapanda@nepc.com.na