Festus Hamalwa
ONGWEDIVA – The burials of five suspected armed robbers who were killed during a fire exchange between them and police officers revealed they are survived by 18 children in total and one on the way.
Akawa Erriki Martin and Marius Jackie Iipinge were the last to be laid to rest. They were both buried on Saturday in Elim and Onawa villages, respectively.
Malakia ‘Brown’ Kotokeni, Abed ‘Koppe’ Andreas Kathingo and Kaluwapa ‘Karlu’ Endjala, were buried in different places in the north over the course of last week.
Fatherless
While the deaths of these men have provoked mixed emotions and opinions in the public and some lawmakers, the void they have left among their families is palpable.
It is alleged that Kotokeni was a biological father to 10 children, Jackie left four and a pregnant woman, Kathingo left two children, while Erriki and Endjala each left one child.
Some of the mothers told New Era that the deaths of their children’s fathers left an uncertain future for them and their children.
“My son is in grade 10. He has not been able to concentrate at school. He is always asking me why his father had to die in such a manner. Sometimes, he cries at school,” she stressed.
Furthermore, this unemployed mother of two narrated that her children are going to suffer because their late father was the only breadwinner.
“I am saddened by the death of my boyfriend because we were financially dependent on him,” she said.
She added that their children will now become victims of bullying at school since everyone is informed about the death of their fathers and it is all over social media.
The woman, who asked not to be named, maintains that she is only aware that her boyfriend was employed as a fisherman in Walvis Bay, and he was only in Windhoek to visit his friends who were together with him when the murder took place.
In addition, the woman, who is six months pregnant, claims that the death of the father of her unborn baby has left her “hopeless”.
Moreover, Kotokeni’s younger brother, said his brother left a big vacuum in the family since he was the head of the family.
“He was our father and mother. We have no parents. Now we are going to suffer. My big brother used to help everyone in the family,” he stressed.
He said the 10 children who have been left by Brown – as they affectionately knew him - are also going to suffer, adding that some of the children attend private schools.
“It is not easy for a child to lose his or her father in such a horrible way. My brother was shot eight times because we discovered eight wounds on his body,” he further stressed.
Justice
Meanwhile, the loved ones of the alleged robbers expressed their frustration when the police refused to hand over the clothes the victims were wearing.
The leader of the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters, Epafras Mukwiilongo who is also Martin’s uncle, said the murder was premeditated.
“It was planned. The police knew what they were doing... It was a deal done,” he added.
According to him, the police officers involved in the shooting were known to Martin because they used to drink together and they had each other’s contact numbers.
“The police officers took revenge when they didn’t get money from the victims. They have always been jealous since the victims used to carry huge sums of money,” he stressed.
Blame it on unemployment
A pastor and the president of Body of Christ Party, Festus Thomas said high unemployment among the youth in Namibia is the main contributing factor to ever growing criminal activities.
“We have many youth without jobs, including graduates. Therefore, the only solution is that the government must provide jobs to the youth,” he said.
Thomas stressed the shoot to kill act is not a solution to the problem.
He also added that those victims were the main sponsors in their families.
“I am calling on the office of the inspector general to make a proper investigation.”
Last month, Namibian Police deputy inspector general Elias Mutota released a report on the matter but also promised that detailed investigations are being carried out. Mutota said cases of murder were opened against the involved police officers.