A 27-year-old Ombili woman has had her kidney and spleen removed after she was unintentionally shot and wounded alongside her friend by a man on Sunday afternoon. 

The woman, Maria Andreas, is recovering in a Windhoek hospital where she was initially admitted in the intensive care unit (ICU) following the incident that happened in Katutura’s Ombili township. 
According to her family a bullet is still stuck in her body. 

The young woman was set to embark on her studies at the University of Namibia this week. 
Andreas was tearful when she learnt that she has to put her studies on hold because of her condition. 
“It is not fair what happened and the pain that I am going through. I saw everything,” Andreas said from her hospital bed. Andreas and a friend Eveline Haindongo (25) were wounded by a gunshot while conversing in the neighbourhood. 

The two were allegedly shot by Jesaya Ndakunda, who is unknown to the women. Ndakunda was at a bar where he was allegedly involved in an argument with a fellow patron who had insulted him with derogatory slurs regarding his physical disability.  

Ndakunda then reportedly retreated to his car where he drew a pistol and a bullet “accidentally” went off. The bullet struck the nine months pregnant Haindongo in the breast before hitting Andreas in her rib, causing damage to her kidney and spleen. An emotional and tearful Andreas said she was ready for school and did her best to obtain her diploma.

“I just saw my friend lying down, I thought she had an epileptic attack and when I knelt down I saw I was bleeding too. A man at the bar shouted to the suspect: ‘look you shot at people’,” narrated Haindongo who was only discharged from hospital yesterday morning. 
Haindongo said they had stopped in the street to talk to children who live in Andreas’ house after returning from a nearby salon.

 “I thank God for protecting me. I would have been dead, it could have been me with a bullet stuck in me,” said Haindongo. Ndakunda appeared in court on Wednesday and was remanded in custody. 
The authorities confiscated his pistol. Haindongo added that Ndakunda’s family visited them while in hospital and apologised for the incident, insisting the shooting was not intentional. 
Andreas’ mother, who shares the same name with her daughter, said her condition is now stable and she is able to talk. 

 “The bullet hit her rib and kidney which is damaged,” the mother added. The despondent mother said she has not met Ndakunda’s family and she feels they should reach out to her.

Namibian Police spokesperson Kauna Shikwambi said the case in question is still under investigation.  When asked if Ndakunda already has a similar case against him, Shikwambi said they were not aware of a similar case against the suspect, nor whether the gun used in the commission of the crime was confiscated before and for what purpose. 

Shikwambi called on anyone with additional information to visit the Wanaheda police criminal investigations unit.