OKAKARARA – The police in the Otjozondjupa Region are investigating cases involving the theft of N$2000, two attempted murders, a case of culpable homicide and a case of alleged reckless driving.
Five people were reportedly injured, as a result of reckless driving. A case of attempted murder was reported when a Namibian male (25) was rushed to the Okakarara State Hospital after a 33-year-old suspect at Osaira location in the Okakarara district last Friday allegedly stabbed him in the stomach. The alleged stabbing occurred at around 22h00 and the suspect was arrested shortly after the incident took place. Police investigators believe the incident to have been fuelled by alcohol, as the location is known to be a haven for informal outlets that sell alcohol.
A second attempted murder was reported in the Otjozondjupa Region this time in the Groootfontein district, where a 21-year-old male was allegedly stabbed in the ribs. According to Otjozondjupa Regional Crime Investigations Coordinator Deputy Commissioner Moses Khairabeb the incident took place at JP Bar. Good Samaritans who rushed him to the hospital found the 21-year-old male victim in a critical condition. Little is known about the suspect, as he is still at large, while law enforcement has not yet been able to question the victim due to his critical condition. Deputy Commissioner Moses Khairabeb says alcohol was the main contributing factor in both violent acts and he urged people who indulge themselves in intoxicating beverages not to get carried away and to drink responsibly, especially over payday weekends. “Attacks on human life such as these are unfortunate, if one must drink alcohol it is only fitting that they do so responsibly. People should control their drunken behaviour by all means,” he offered. In a separate incident also in the Otjozondjupa Region police reported a case of reckless and negligent driving. One of the incidents took place on Friday at around 17h00 at a T-junction near Otjizondju near Hochfeld, when a driver failed to stop at a yield sign and lost control of the vehicle, which overturned. Five people including the driver sustained serious injuries and were rushed to the Okahandja State Hospital. In another unrelated incident police in the Otjozondjupa Region are investigating a case of culpable homicide after the corpse of an unidentified man was discovered on the side of the road about 5 kilometres to Gross Barmen outside Okahandja. Police suspect that the man died in a hit and run incident. Police in the region are requesting the assistance of the public with information that may lead to the apprehension of the guilty party or parties.
A case of robbery was reported in the Grootfontein area at around 09h00 on Thursday after a tourist was attacked by an unknown assailant, who was pretending to make use of a automatic teller machine. The thief threatened the 71-year-old woman and demanded her four-digit ATM pin number. The bandit then proceeded to withdraw N$2000 from her account before fleeing the scene of the crime. The suspect is still at large. Khairabeb urged senior citizens to practice caution and be on their guard when using ATMs. “ATM thieves are opportunistic predators and will only strike when the chance is afforded them,” he added.
By John Travolter Matali