By Roland Routh
WINDHOEK – The Namibian Police will embark on a new campaign to curb crime called ‘Turn Back Crime’, police spokesman Inspector Slogan Matheus told the media yesterday in Windhoek.
The campaign will be officially launched by President Hifikepunye Pohamba at Oshakati on February 19, which is National Police Day. The campaign will run in conjunction with, and the support of, Interpol.
Matheus made the announcement before revealing the weekend crime statistics, that are fuelled with murders, attempted murders, rape and other serious crimes.
In Katutura a man was arrested after fatally shooting his neighbour in the chest. It is alleged the deceased neighbour made enquiries as to why the man was discharing his firearm in the air on Saturday night at around 23:30. Instead of verbally responding, the man with the gun simply fired a fatal shot that hit his neighbour in the chest killing him instantly. The incident occurred in King Kauluma Street in Oshitenda location.
In another shooting, a 39-year-old male is expected to appear in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court on a charge of attempted murder. The man is said to have fired three shots at another person, who escaped without injury.
In Outapi a 33-year-old male was arrested for raping an eight-year-old girl. The incident allegedly happened at Oipanda-Yambalantu village on Friday February 13 when the suspect who was employed as a domestic worker in the victim’s neighbourhood found her playing with other children at her home. The suspect is expected to appear in the Outapi Magistrate’s Court today on a charge of rape.
The Ondangwa police also arrested a 40-year-old male for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl. The rape is said to have taken place on various occasions behind a cuca-shop near the victim’s home at Oshaakondwa location in Onguta village. The victim was staying alone with other children as their parents worked far away from home and the suspect is their neighbour.
It is further alleged that the suspect gave the victim N$50 at one stage and told her not to tell any person about the rapes. The last rape is alleged to have taken place on Wednesday February 11 and was discovered when the victim told her friend who in turn informed a family member of the victim.
Vehicle accidents also took the lives of people over the weekend, with a drunk driver hitting a pedestrian on the road between Mix Settlement and Windhoek on February 14 at about 21:00. The 31-year-old driver was arrested as police suspected that he was under the influence of alcohol.
In Oshakati the police opened an inquest docket after a Toyota Hilux 2.7 overturned yesterday morning at about 00:05 on the main road between Oshakati and Okatana village, at Ekuku village. The driver of the vehicle, 65-year-old Paulus Shixuleni, died shortly after being admitted to the Oshakati State Hospital while his passengers Billy Katowa and Andreas Lisias, 29, were admitted to the same hospital.