A teacher at the Limbandungila Combined School in the Ohangwena region was yesterday remanded in custody after she allegedly attempted to kill her friend and colleague on Friday last week.

Fransina Mwetufa (27) made her first court appearance in the Eenhana Magistrate’s Court and her case was remanded to 6 April 2021 for a formal bail hearing.

Mwetufa is facing charges of attempted murder, negligent and reckless driving.

Crime investigations coordinator in Ohangwena, Deputy Commissioner Zacharia Amakali confirmed the case.The suspect and the victim are allegedly friends who drive in the same vehicle to school every day.

The victim is allegedly a witness in a theft case in which the suspect was implicated after reportedly withdrawing money from a male colleagues’ account.

The suspect is alleged to have obtained the colleagues’ internet banking password and has been withdrawing money from the male teacher’s account for an unknown period.

The attempted murder victim is also alleged to have assisted the male teacher in tracing his money.

New Era understands bank records showed the money was transferred into the suspect’s name.

On that fateful Friday prior to the stabbing, the suspect allegedly lured the victim to accompany her for lunch at Eenhana.

The suspect indicated to the victim that she was having financial challenges and thus wished to share that with the victim.

Before they got to the planned lunch, the suspect informed the victim that she needed to pass by someone.

“The two kept driving around and eventually got stuck in the mud in the village. The suspect was driving at the time and offered to push the vehicle while the victim was driving. When they got out of the mud, the suspect asked the victim to continue driving,” a source, who refused to be named, related to New Era.

In the process of driving, the suspect allegedly asked the victim to stop so that she could relieve herself. 

When the suspect returned to the car, she asked the victim to lock the car.

She allegedly pulled out a kitchen knife and attempted to attack the victim.

She is reported to have stabbed the victim in the neck whilst seating on her lap.

“She told the victim that she was going to kill her and commit suicide,” said the source.

The victim allegedly tried to fight back, but instead, the suspect managed to put the suspect’s head between her legs and attempted to strangle her until she became unconscious.

The victim regained her consciousness and managed to get out of the car.

The suspect allegedly loaded her back into the car claiming that she was taking her to the hospital.

When they reached Eenhana, the victim, upon hearing moving cars on the road, managed to jump out of the speeding car.

“The driver allegedly continued speeding and bumped into an oncoming vehicle. The oncoming vehicle attempted to evade the collision hence it was only damaged on the rear bumper,” said the source further.

The two were allegedly taken to hospital at Eenhana but the victim was later transferred to another hospital. – nashipala@nepc.com.na