WINDHOEK - Ohangwena police regional commander Commissioner Simeon Shindinge has ordered his subordinates to take the man involved in the mass killing of three relatives to hospital because there is suspicion, he is crazed by rabies.
The suspect according to the police, has symptoms of a rabid person and on this basis, the Ohangwena regional police commander has ordered that the suspect be taken to hospital to be tested for rabies because his aggressive behaviours has become worse while in police custody.
Shindinge who spoke to New Era exclusively during a telephonic interview revealed that when he approached the suspect for interrogation, his behaviours appears to be of a person who is infected with rabies.
The suspect appears confused and in a worse aggressive state of mind, according to the police.
The 26-year-old suspect was arrested on Tuesday morning at Okakwa village, where he had fled after hacking to death his own mother, brother and niece using a panga that he also turned on a two-year old child who survived the attack.
The incident happened on Tuesday morning at Epatululo village in the Ohangwena constituency.
Rabies is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system of mammals, ultimately causing disease in the brain and eventually death. The vast majority of rabies cases reported to health authorities occur mostly in domesticated pets such as dogs and in wild animals.
According to the sources, the worsening mental state of the suspect’s mind prevented him from appearing in court yesterday.
Sources further explained the strange behaviours of the suspect is worrisome because he has become too aggressive even to be kept with other trial awaiting suspects in the cells as he could endanger their lives.
A senior police officer in the region told this reporter that the police were still struggling to take the suspect to hospital because of his extreme aggression.
“The suspect did not even appear in court yet although he has 48 hours to be charged, the possibility is high that he will not appear since he is fighting too much,” said the source.
“I immediately gave a directive to the members on duty to take the suspect to the hospital when I noticed the strange behaviours,” said Shindinge.
“I did this based on my experience. I have seen two people who suffered from rabies after being bitten by dogs in past years. They were exactly behaving like this gentleman, that’s why I am confident to send him to the hospital in order to avoid problems,” he explained.
Clinical psychologist Dr Shaun Whittaker also said based on the description of the behaviours of the suspect, one can attribute his conduct to rabies.