OMUTHIYA – A 29-year-old man stabbed his 24-year-old girlfriend to death and then committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree. The man has been identified as Gotlieb Haimbodi Johannes and the victim Inessi Yoleni Ndakolo, both from Okakoko in Omuthiya constituency.
The violent crime took place on April 13 at around 19:00. According to police Ndakolo was stabbed 12 times at Okaloko village and succumbed to her wounds shortly after.
Johannes evaded police custody by running into the veld. The manhunt took all night but came to an abrupt end the following morning when police discovered the fugitive’s body hanging from a tree with a piece of cloth around his neck, at Ondobe yIingula village in Omuthiya constituency.
The details of the crime could not be released due to ongoing investigations into the matter. However, Deputy Commissioner William Peter expressed his deep disappointment and urged men rather to seek professional help, to stop suffering in silence and solving problems through violence.
“Please start looking at getting professional help. Asking for help will not be perceived as weak, wherever you feel most comfortable it can be police, counsellors, village, church or even traditional leaders,” said a concerned Peter.
“Fighting, stabbing and killing do not solve problems, they never did and never will even in years to come. It is high time Namibian men stopped cowering from problems and start facing their demons instead of using violence and killing. To all men out there no one will accept a killer ever, a human life is precious. Even if Johannes had not hung himself this type of behaviour is simply unacceptable, if anything it is a sign of weakness,” said Peter.
Peter also said the act of killing a wife or girlfriend has many consequences as it affects the lives of so many people. “Taking human life is wrong no matter what the person might have done. Killing someone is not right even if done in self-defence. You do not just punish that person alone but their family’s dependants all suffer. It is a blow to the country, killing a taxpayer does not help the country’s economy in the least,” added Peter.
By John Travolter Matali