Selma Ikela
Windhoek-The suspect who shot a student of the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) and injured two other passengers during an alleged road rage incident on Wednesday remains at large, police say.
Three of six occupants who are relatives and friends, who were travelling in an acquaintance’s taxi, were shot at during the incident, which claimed the life of NUST student Naeman Ibe Amakali. Amakali’s surviving brother, Gideon, was shot below the eye and in the upper shoulder. A third passenger was shot in the stomach.
The group was shot at by an unknown suspect. Nampol Khomas regional commander, Commissioner Silvanus Nghishidimbwa, called on passengers who were in the suspect’s vehicle to come forward with information leading to his arrest.
“We suspect there were more than one person in the vehicle and we are calling on them to come forth,” pleaded Nghishidimbwa.
The regional commander also said the suspect is quite sure he shot at people hence he too should come forward.
Nghishidimbwa told New Era yesterday that police have picked up footage from CCTV cameras in the area where the incident occurred, but said the visuals are not clear enough to identify the culprit.
“So far no one is arrested because the information is sketchy. No one can say what transpired. Those who were together with the deceased can’t tell much,” said Nghishidimbwa.
The police confirmed that the shooting took place in front of the Tabitha Centre in Hans-Dietrich Genscher Street in Khomasdal.
According to Amakali’s cousin Mathew Iyambo, who escaped the incident unhurt, they found a dark blue hatchback sedan stationary on the road near Rössing Foundation in Khomasdal.
“We tried to overtake but the driver decided to drive fast in the middle of the road and our driver reduced his speed,” he narrated.
Iyambo added that their driver turned left into Hans-Dietrich Genscher Street and at Tabitha Centre they found the suspect’s vehicle stationary again.
“We stopped next to his car (which was fully occupied by passengers) and asked him why he was driving like that. He replied: ‘What do you want?’ And while we were responding he took out a gun and started shooting at us.”
A shaken Iyambo said that Gideon then shouted that he was struck by a bullet and should be taken to hospital.
It was only upon their arrival at hospital for Gideon to get medical attention that Amakali revealed that he too was struck by bullets. He died shortly after he was placed on the stretcher by nurses.
Iyambo said they later returned to the scene to pick up cartridges as they feared that the suspect would return to pick them up to destroy evidence of the fatal attack. The victims handed the cartridges to the police.