WINDHOEK – Speaker of the National Assembly Professor Peter Katjavivi, accompanied by his wife Jane Katjavivi and the Chairperson of the National Council, Margret Mensah-Williams, on Monday joined several other politicians who have consoled the family of Cheryl Avihe Ujaha.
The mutilated and burned body of Ujaha, aged nine, was found over a week ago in a riverbed near her parents’ home in Katutura in a crime believed to be ritualistic and for which the police and members of the public have offered a collective reward of N$46,000 to any member of the public who comes forth with info that could lead to the arrest of her murderer/s.
“On behalf of the National Assembly, my family and on my own behalf, we hereby express our great sadness on the gruesome murder of Cheryl Ujaha,” said Katjavivi.
While with the bereaved family, the two parliamentary presiding officers jointly expressed their sympathy and condolences to the bereaved family.
“The Speaker of the National Assembly strongly calls for the gruesome murder of Cheryl Ujaha not to go unpunished … the life of this innocent child should not be lost in vain,” said a media statement issued yesterday by Katjavivi.
“Furthermore, the Speaker would like to state that her death has also energized many of us into doing everything in our power to sharpen our instruments to protect women and children against these heinous crimes. We have to draw some lessons from these kinds of crimes to step up the cooperation between law enforcement agencies and community engagement,” he stressed..
“We hereby extend our deeply felt sympathy and condolences to Cheryl Ujaha’s family – we wish the family strength as they go through this difficult time,” stated the Speaker.
“May her soul rest in eternal peace,” he concluded.