RUNDU - The police at Tsumkwe are investigating a murder case after the lifeless body of a 21-year-old woman was discovered in some bushes at the small town, situated about 300km east of Grootfontein in the Otjozondjupa Region.

The deceased’s ex-boyfriend is a suspect in the murder of !Koce Nanca.

“On Friday, 7 January at about 23h30 in Tsumkwe between Rural Water Supply and the Bukushu location, the lifeless body of !Koce Nanca, aged 21, was found lying in the bush by a family member who was on the way to work,” read the police report. It is alleged that during that same evening, a 21-year-old Namibian male suspect was at the deceased’s house, and started troubling the deceased as they were allegedly in a relationship, which ended in November 2021.

“He went on to grab the deceased and pulled her out of the yard by force, and left with her. This was happening in the presence of the deceased’s sisters,” the report said. 

“The sisters kept on calling her, hoping to find out where she was, but unfortunately got no response till the morning. 

The body was taken to the Otjiwarongo police mortuary for a post-mortem examination, and her next of kin have been informed,” the police stated.

Meanwhile, at Epako in Gobabis in the Omaheke region, a case of murder is being investigated. According to the police, between 6 and 7 January 2022 at Kanaan C in Epako, five male suspects held a 28-year-old male hostage under a tree and interrogated him about their properties which he had allegedly stolen. The number of the people increased during the interrogation, and they started beating him with unknown objects and poured petrol over him as they were beating him. 

“During the night, they left the deceased at one of the suspects’ residence. However, the victim then succumbed to his injuries. Two of the suspects reported the matter at the police station on Friday morning. So far, seven suspects have been arrested,” the Omaheke police said in a report. In Otjinene, a suicide by hanging was reported. It is alleged that on Saturday around 15h00 at Ovijapa village near Otjinene, Ovetu-Ngumbatire Tavizee Mbemukenga, aged 22, died after he allegedly hanged himself. 

According to the police report, the deceased allegedly went to play soccer, and later went to pick up his girlfriend who was with friends at another homestead,  and walked home. 

Upon their arrival at home, the girlfriend started preparing herself to go to a party. He declared his undying love to her to stop her from going to the party. It is further alleged that the girlfriend then went to get firewood to start a fire outside for cooking whilst the boyfriend was still in the house. 

“After she was done with the fire, she went inside to get a pot, but shockingly found the deceased hanging from the roof of the house with a rope around his neck. Furthermore, it was said that a week earlier, the deceased had smashed the girlfriend’s cell phone after suspecting that she was chatting to another man. No foul play is suspected, and no suicide note was found,” the report said.

In another incident on Saturday, 8 January 2022 at about 12h45 at Tubusis, Usakos district in the Erongo region, the 10-month-old Riaan Haraeb died after he allegedly swallowed an unspecified cooldrink bottle cap, which suffocated him. The deceased was taken to the Tubusis clinic by family members, where he was declared dead upon arrival by the nurse on duty. 

“The deceased’s corpse was taken to the Usakos State Hospital’s mortuary for further handling. No foul play is suspected. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death,” said the police.