John Muyamba
Rundu-A 32-year-old man was beaten to death at Rundu charge office holding cells in Kavango East Region in the early hours of Friday by other inmates, who alleged he was a warlock practicing witchcraft.
The incident happened in the early hours of Friday morning at about 01h10 when the deceased (an inmate) was allegedly severely beaten by his fellow inmates, who accused him of being a sorcerer.
The deceased, who was identified as 32-year-old Lucas Mulyatwa, a Namibian male, and the suspects who are also Namibians were all trial-awaiting inmates and are locals of Kavango. The names of the murder suspects are known to New Era, but cannot be revealed, as they have not been brought to court yet.
The police could not come to the rescue of Mulyatwa, while he was being assaulted. He had died on the spot by the time the police reached the cells and left the cell in a body bag en route to to the mortuary at Rundu Intermediate Hospital.
“I know the cells are behind the front desk of the charge office, but when the police reached there, the man was already dead. The cells are not patrolled at every second.
We have charged the suspected inmates with murder,” said Kavango East crime investigations coordinator Deputy Commissioner Willie Bampton, who confirmed the killing of the inmate in police custody.
Five trial-awaiting inmates, who are suspects in the murder of Mulyatwa at Rundu police holding cells, were on Friday charged with murder and will be brought before court in Rundu today.
The police could not confirm on what charges the inmates were awaiting trial at the time of the murder of Mulyatwa.