Suspect accused of terrorising women released on bail

WINDHOEK – A man who was arrested on suspicion that he robs and prey on lone women in Windhoek’s Goreangab informal settlement has been released on bail in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court.
Fillipus Hamutenya was granted bail in the amount of N$4 000 after the State informed the court that it had no objection to Hamutenya being released on bail pending trial.

Magistrate Alice Gawanas warned Hamutenya to make an appearance in court on 5 February or risk having a warrant of arrest being issued against him and bail money forfeited to the State.
Hamutenya is currently being charged with one count of possession of suspected stolen goods. Although he is suspected of rape, there is currently no case opened against him.

According to the police, on the day of his arrest, on 3 August 2019, Hamutenya had allegedly broken into a shack where a couple was sleeping in Goreangab location. Hamutenya allegedly tied up and blindfolded the man; thereafter he proceeded to tie the woman and then sexually violated her.

Members of the public followed the suspect to his shack, where they brutally assaulted him. The public said they were tired of his crimes. The public proceeded to remove all suspected stolen items from the suspect’s shack and laid them outside. The public meted out mob justice before they called the police to arrest him.
It is alleged that Hamutenya, who is well known to the community, would allegedly force his way into shacks, force his victims to cook food for him, then rape them before stealing from them.

According to the police at the time, although there are currently four to five cases of rape reported, the suspect cannot be linked to them yet as police investigations are under way.

He could not make his first appearance in court when he got arrested, as he was hospitalised in a critical state. The suspect was allegedly brutally beaten up by the community on 3 August. At that time, a citizen’s arrest was made before he was handed over to the police. 

A video of the suspect brutally beaten by the mob went viral on social media. In the video, the suspect could be seen badly bruised and finding it very hard to stand and walk by himself.