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Home / Valombola’s wife, son deny ‘point-blank’ shooting

Valombola’s wife, son deny ‘point-blank’ shooting

2021-06-07  Roland Routh

Valombola’s wife, son deny ‘point-blank’ shooting

The wife and son of the commissioner of refugees Likius Valombola, who is accused of murdering student leader Helao Ndjaba in May 2018, last Friday took the stand to testify in his defence. 

The 57-year-old Valombola is on trial for the alleged murder of Ndjaba (25), who died days later in a Windhoek hospital after he was shot in the head in King Kauluma Street in the Ombili location on 18 May 2018. 

Both Ndelitungato Valombola and Mathew Valombola basically repeated what the accused testified.  Valombola had vehemently denied that he aimed his pistol at the group of people who were gathered at the scene when he and his family arrived there. 

According to him, he fired in the air after he and his wife and son were accosted by a group of “aggressive and unruly boys” when they were forced to stop by a vehicle that was parked in the road. 

Both the mother and son said that while they were on their way home at around 23h30 and were driving along Omuvapu Street in the direction of King Kauluma Street, they came across a stationary sedan with lights on and all four doors open. According to them, Mathew followed by his father got out of the vehicle to ask a group of people – young men – to please move the vehicle as it was blocking the way. According to Ndelitungato, she remained in the car, but could see the group of men making wild gestures and becoming aggressive. 

“My husband and son then returned to the car,” she said. She, however, disputed the evidence of one of the State witnesses that was put to her by Ethel Ndlovu for the prosecution that Valombola got out of the car with his firearm and was aggressive towards the group and had to be physically taken back to his car by his son.

Ndelitungato further said that when her son and husband returned to the car, they were followed by the men who started banging on the car.

She further said that there was a further group behind their car that was banging on the roof. She added she could hear them uttering profanities in Oshiwambo and saying: “this is not your road or your mother’s road.”

She described the experience as “frightening”. 

She further said she saw her husband reach for his firearm which was in his bag on the backseat and saw his window open and suddenly heard a gunshot which, she said, gave her son the opportunity to reverse and drive off. 

“While my son, Mathew, was reversing, I heard a second gunshot. According to her, after the shots were fired, the group dissipated.

On a question from Ndlovu if she observed anything out of the ordinary while they were leaving the scene, she said she did not. 

Just like her husband and son, she claimed they did not know or suspect that anybody was hurt when they left the scene, and it was only after the police called and informed her husband that they realised someone was shot.

She also rubbished claims by one of the State witnesses that her husband shot Ndjaba at point-blank in the head and said they were under attack and her husband had to fire warning shots to protect them. 

She further said that she was not sure if the people started panicking after the first or the second shot.

Valombola is free on bail of N$15 000.

The trial was postponed to 29 June for submissions. 

-rrouth@nepc.com.na

 

 


2021-06-07  Roland Routh

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