ONGWEDIVA - The wife of a former police officer, whose life was allegedly ended on Friday by two bullets fired by members of the law enforcement unit, is finding it hard to come to terms with his death.

The 59-year-old Negumbo Embashu was declared dead upon arrival at the Onaanda clinic where he was rushed with wounds on one leg and stomach. 

His wife Hendrina Embashu who was left with the trauma of having witnessed her husband’s murder, claims the police were called to their house to help them take her husband to the hospital when he suffered a psychotic episode, but they just ended up killing him. 

While the Namibian Police maintain that the former member of the force was killed for trying to attack the police officers at the scene, villagers at Ehafo lyaKandenge in Uuvudhiya constituency claim Negumbo was not aggressive.  They say he was on medication for a mental illness, and such psychotic episodes only happen when his medications run out.

Negumbo was shot twice while standing in his homestead in the Oshana region.

His widow narrated the events that led up to the shooting.

“In the early hours of Friday, my neighbour called the police to come and assist us in order to take my husband to the Oshakati hospital and also collect his medication, because I was only with my lastborn at home,” she said.

The widow claims that when the officers arrived at their homestead, they found him holding a small stick, which they instructed him to throw away. Negumbo ignored them and one of the police officers then shot her husband twice.

“He did not respond to them nor did he try to attack them. They just killed my husband in cold blood,” she sobs.

The widow further said that after the shooting, police officers instructed her to bring a blanket with which they wrapped her husband before rushing him to the clinic. 

“My child also witnessed the incident. We are traumatised.”

Negumbo was discharged from the police force in 2016 because of mental illness. He was stationed at the Oshakati police station. 

According to the Oshana regional police spokesperson Thomas Aiyambo, the deceased was trying to attack police officers with a stick he was holding, and this resulted in the shooting.

Ndinosia Embashu, who is a sister to the deceased, said the suspects in her brother’s death should be arrested.  

“He must be arrested. We are not happy,” she added.

- fhamalwa@nepc.com.na