2013-10-22Staff Report 2 "WINDHOEK - What would have been a joyous birthday party for a six year-old boy at the Singles Quarters turned out to be a sad one for himself and the family as they struggle to come to terms with his brutal rape last week Sunday. The horrendous rape happened just five days before his birthday. New Era visited the boy and his family on Friday which was also his birthday, five days after the cruel incident happened in a riverbed near the Singles Quarters in Katutura. His grandmother, Elisee Lukas, was evidently traumatised as she recalled with tears what had happened to her grandson that fateful Sunday afternoon. It was around 14h00 when the boy and a friend were playing in front of the sitting room door when she decided to go and take a nap, she recalled. Around 17h00 when she woke up her grandson was nowhere to be found. ""I just realised that it is now late, I must call him to come and shower him,""she said. She called and called but to no avail so she went to the neighbours to look for her grandson. That is when her grandson's friend told her that as they were walking towards their house, a tall light in complexion man with a scar on his left cheeck had grabbed the boy on the wrist and dragged him towards the riverbed, she related. ""When that happened the (neighbour)'s boy just went home without saying anything maybe in fear because he saw him dragging my grandson to the riverbed,"" she said wiping the tears from her eyes. Lukas with the help of neighbours and friends than embarked on a search of the riverbed. The search went on until around 21h00 but to no avail and so they decided to solicit the help of the police in tracing the boy. The mobile police station at the Singles Quarters was of no use and referred her to the Katutura police station where she had to fill in forms to make a public announcement on television about the missing boy. Just a few minutes to 22h00, the boy was spotted by another youngster walking from the direction of the traffic lights close to the service station. The boy was eventually brought home and as Lukas' husband tried to bath him the boy told him not to touch his buttocks since they were hurting. ""He told my husband that the tate put his penis in his buttocks and when my husband checked he was really open,"" she related. They rushed him to the Women and Child Protection Unit of the police to report the case and to enable the sodomised boy to receive medical attention. Police at the Women and Child Protection Unit however refused to take statements, because the person who allegedly raped the boy is unknown, said a disappointed Lukas who wants justice for her grandson. ""Sometimes he is talking about the tate. Wherever I go he tells me to be cautious because maybe the tate who did that to him is just around there. I feel very bad my dear. I do not know what I will do to that person if I ever find him, because of what he did to the small and innocent boy,"" she said. Shortly after talking to New Era, Lukas' grandson walked in from the crèche. The seemingly active yet shy boy greeted us in a soft tone. ""I prepared a few snacks for him to share and play with the other children at the crèche, because I want him to forget,"" said the grandmother before she and the New Era team sang 'happy birthday’ to the boy whose eyes sparkled with joy as we sang for him. Inspector Lavinia Zimmer of the Women and Child Protection Unit explained why they could not take statements or open a case. ""I am of the opinion that there was a misunderstanding. If it is what they want. We are waiting for them to open a case."" Zimmer said they called the grandmother shortly before New Era called her and the police were supposed to take statements and to offer counselling to the boy yesterday. By Alvine Kapitako " 2013-10-22Staff Report 2
