2018-04-03Staff Report 2 Selma Ikela Windhoek Although no arrest has been made yet in connection with the recent killing of a Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) student, Naeman Amakali, police say there is steady progress in their search for the culprit. Amakali was struck by a bullet in the chest while seated in an acquaintance’s taxi two weeks ago after a confrontation ensued between his group and the driver of another vehicle. The incident left three of six occupants of the taxi, who were relatives of Amakali, injured. Amakali’s surviving brother, Gideon, was shot below the eye and in the upper shoulder, while a third passenger was shot in the stomach. An unknown suspect, allegedly driving a dark blue hatchback sedan along Hans-Dietrich Genscher Street in Khomasdal, shot the group. Asked whether there were any latest developments in the case, Khomas regional police commander, Commissioner Silvanus Nghishidimbwa could only say there is progress. “I will not divulge what is there, but we are moving in the right direction,” Nghishidimbwa told New Era. NUST organised a peaceful demonstration outside the institution last week, where a group of students clad in black outfits chanted outside the university premises holding posters calling on witnesses to come forward. The march was organised by the NUST Student Representative Council (SRC) president, Marvellous Shilongo. Shilongo said the march was an initiative of the SRC appealing to anyone with information that would lead to the arrest of the suspect. “What they (suspect) did is wrong and insincere and we want them to come forth,” said Shilongo, adding that students who showed up gave a minimum donation of N$5 each. The money will be handed over to the family. According to Amakali’s cousin, Mathew Iyambo, who was also a passenger in the taxi, but escaped unhurt, they buried Amakali the past weekend at the Onamutene village in Oshikoto Region. When asked to describe the suspect, Iyambo said: “He (suspect) is light in complexion”. Iyambo added that, according to the CCTV footage they viewed, the suspect should be 1.78 or 1.80 metres tall. He said during the shooting incident, the suspect was seated in a fully occupied vehicle with female passengers. Iyambo earlier told New Era that they returned to the scene to pick up cartridges as they feared the suspect would return to pick them up to destroy evidence of the fatal attack. The victims handed the cartridges to the police. 2018-04-03Staff Report 2
