A police officer stationed at Rehoboth is being investigated for allegedly threatening to rape and murder several victims. The police this week confirmed that the officer is under investigation.

The officer responded to advertisements on Facebook that offer earrings, handbags as well as body massages. He reportedly exchanges mobile numbers with the advertisers and then approaches them for sex. The victims do not want to be named.

Five different women were recently threatened with rape and murder by the suspected police officer who pretends to be interested in buying advertised goods but has ulterior intentions. One of the victims arranged for exchanging the products and money face-to-face to enable the suspect to choose his preferred items.

“When we met, I realised that the customer is a man and later told me that he is no longer interested in my products but he is interested in me. I left and that is when he started getting out of order and started threatening and assaulting me verbally,” said the victim who requested anonymity for fear of victimisation.

The suspect allegedly threatened to kill and rape her if she refuses him sex. Text messages seen by New Era showed that the police officer was demanding sex from the victim and telling her that he will kill her if she did not meet with him. “I will bring you to a place you will not know. I will rape and kill you. No one will find me. The earlier you will give me sex the better. Then I can just kill you,” read one of the texts in a barrage of messages sent to one of the victims.

He swears at the women, threatens them and says no one will be able to unmask him and he will “play with your mind”. A victim opened a case of assault and threatening at the Klein Windhoek police station.

Another victim said that the suspect later resorted to downloading women’s photos, stalking them, meeting them, violating them and threatening the lives of those who dare expose or go to the police to report him.

The victim said although they have reported the suspect to the police and a case was opened, the police were not helpful. “We are putting these out there so we can all know and keep an eye out for this psychopath. So far, five women have come out about experiencing the same thing with this person but some are afraid to go to the police because he is one of them,” said the victim.

In one text message, he said he will just get another number if he is blocked by one of his accusers.

Approached for comment, police spokesperson Kauna Shikwambi confirmed that the suspect is a police officer and the force will launch an internal investigation. The Namibian police urged the public to trade cautiously on social media. 

“I want to discourage the women out there to stop entertaining strangers on social media because it is dangerous. People stop meeting up with strangers,” she said. – ljason@nepc.com.na