2015-06-25Staff Report 2 Ongwediva A 19-year-old boy from Oshukwa village in Omusati Region became partially blind when a woman from his village allegedly rubbed hot chilli into his right eye, as punishment after he allegedly tried to steal a fat cake from her. The pupil of the boy’s right eye has since turned white, while the white of the eye has turned red. The incident happened last week Friday at Omushape location in the Okahao Constituency. According to residents, Johannes Iithete dropped out of school because of illness and has since been a regular roamer at local cuca-shops. On that fateful day last week, Iithete apparently found a woman selling fat cakes at one of the cuca-shops at Omushape where he allegedly grabbed one fat cake and attempted to run away. “After grabbing the fat cake the woman started chasing this young man and because of his medical condition he got tired very quickly making it easier for the fat cake seller to catch him,” related a source. When the fat cake seller caught him, she apparently continuously rubbed chilli in his eye, which villagers allege is the cause for his partial blindness. A relative, who chose to remain anonymous, said that they only realised that the boy’s condition was deteriorating when he informed his family that he could no longer see with his right eye. “We asked him to cover his left eye to test whether the right eye could see, but he said he could not see,” related the relative. The relative further claimed that the boy had also informed them that a woman from the cuca-shops had rubbed chilli in his eye, but he did not disclose why she did it. “We are still to find out what happened because to date, we do not really know what transpired that Friday,” related the source. The relative also informed New Era that attempts were made to get the boy to the hospital on Tuesday, but he returned home without treatment when he was informed that the eye doctor was not available. Villagers at Omushape have raised concern about the incident, saying the fat cake seller went too far in disciplining Iithete by allegedly, rubbing chilli in his eye. 2015-06-25Staff Report 2
