RUNDU – The Kavango East police in Mukwe are struggling to gather evidence to make an arrest after a mentally challenged woman was raped allegedly on 5 September 2022 at an unknown time at Biro village.
The Kavango East crime investigations coordinator, Bonifatius Kanyetu, told New Era the suspect is known but cannot be arrested at this stage, as the police still need to complete their investigations before handing it to the prosecutor general to grant them a warrant of arrest.
“The investigations must just finish, then the docket will be sent to the prosecutor general for a decision. The suspect is the step father,” Kanyetu said.
“Cases with people that have mental challenge are complicated. You have to look at the affected person’s evidence, then at least put the facts together. The victim’s case was reported late and family managed to take her to the doctor but what samples will one take after a week? It’s only the evidence on the scene that can be used as an exhibit,” he noted.
According to the police report seen by New Era, the incident was reported that the young woman was allegedly raped in her young brother’s room.
“Circumstances: It is alleged that the suspect in the case called the victim, who is impaired (believed to have mental illness), sent her to do household work then he instructed the victim to go into her young brother’s room. The suspect followed the victim into that room and again instructed her to lay on the bed and had sexual intercourse with her without consent. The victim is not able to give consent due to her condition,’’ the report said.
– jmuyamba@nepc.com.na