RUNDU - A police officer from Ndama police sub-station in Rundu has been arrested for shooting a civilian with his service pistol at a bar while he was off duty.
The police officer whose identity cannot be revealed as he is yet to appear in court, was arrested on Tuesday and has been charged with a count of attempted murder and that of attempting to obstruct the course of justice.
He is expected to make his first court appearance today.
The charges emanate from a shooting incident that occurred at bar in Ngcangcana village in Rundu on Sunday.
It is alleged that the officer used his service weapon, a Macarov pistol to shoot a civilian, Frans Kambinda Ndara (35). The weapon has since been seized and will be used as an exhibit.
“The suspect who is a police officer allegedly shot the victim in the stomach with a pistol and the victim sustained serious injuries. It is further alleged that the suspect failed to submit himself for primer residue examination thereby attempting to defeat the administration of justice. He was off duty at time of this incident,’’ said the Kavango East Crime Investigations Coordinator, Deputy Commissioner Bonifatius Kanyetu.
Ndara who is a resident of Ngcangcana village says due to the injury inflicted by the gunshot wound, he won’t be able to feed his family since his life depended on doing handy work. He said he gathered firewood to sell, did casual work for other people, including de-bushing crop fields for those that needed his help.
“I take care of a lot of people and the doctors just told me that from now on, I cannot lift heavy objects but that is how I survived. That is how I put bread on the table for my kids and mother all my life,” said Ndara.
According to Ndara, he and the suspect had a scuffle because of an argument he was having with his grandmother at a shebeen where they were drinking.
He said an off-duty police officer involve himself and it led to them having a heated argument which ended in the shooting.
Ndara was rushed to the Rundu Intermediate hospital and there he is receiving medical treatment.
-jmuyamba@nepc.com.na