A man from the Oshikoto region committed suicide last week, a day after he attempted to rape a 19-year-old girl. 

Oshikoto crime investigations coordinator Naomi Katjiua said the victim allegedly dragged the girl from the field to his house, where he tried to rape her but did not succeed. 

“He attempted to rape her on 24 November,  and was found dead the next day around 11h00, hanging from a tree with  wire around his neck,” said Katjiua. His next of kin have been informed. Meanwhile, a passerby community member rescued a minor girl who was being defiled by her cousin as she continued to scream for help during the entire ordeal. 

“During the night in the bush at Okashana kaBen village, it is alleged that the suspect, who is a cousin of the victim, followed her into the bush where she went to relieve herself, and removed her underwear. After removing the underwear, he proceeded to have sexual intercourse with her by using a condom. 

The victim screamed for her life before the passerby, who apprehended the suspect, came to her rescue,” the regional police said in a crime report. The victim is aged 11, and the suspect is due to appear in the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court today.  In an unrelated matter, a mentally ill woman, aged 42, also fell victim last week after she was sexually assaulted by a man who is still on the run. “The incident happened at Iikokola village, where it is alleged that the victim, who was walking home alone from the cucashops, was ambushed, dragged into the bushes and raped.” 

It is further alleged that the suspect was previously seen three times inside the victim’s house around midnight prior to the sad ordeal on 22 November, explained Katjiua, adding that the suspect was chased away then by the victim’s parents.  

-osimasiku@nepc.com.na