The police in Kunene yesterday confirmed that a 43-year-old man, who allegedly strangled his pregnant girlfriend before committing suicide, had a history of violent crimes and was out on bail.
Kunene regional crime investigations coordinator Deputy Commissioner Bonifatius Kanyetu said the man was arrested recently after he reportedly stabbed his girlfriend with a sharp object, causing her injuries.
The man reportedly strangled his girlfriend with a shoelace at Outjo on Thursday after the 39-year-old woman had allegedly told him he was not the father of her unborn child.
According to the police report, the man hid the girlfriend’s body after committing the act.
“Thereafter the suspect hanged himself with a rope in the same room where he murdered his girlfriend. A suicide note was found in the room,” said the police report.
According to the report, the deceased was on bail for two separate cases, including robbery with aggravated circumstances and attempted murder.
Kanyetu explained that in cases of gender-based violence victims give statements on whether they object to bail or not.
“If the victim objects to bail then the State will have strong arguments to object to the granting of bail to such suspects, but if they show that they have no objection to bail then the suspects are likely to be granted bail,” he said.
He urged gender-based violence victims to object to bail for suspects that injure them so that they are kept away from society.
Ohangwena woman killed
In yet another murder case, a 30-year-old woman was reportedly murdered by her boyfriend of the same age at Othilu village in the Ohangwena region.
The police reported the suspect set a cuca shop on fire which burned the deceased’s body beyond recognition and caused damage to the structure, property and stock. The value of the stock is not yet determined. The suspect was arrested.
Meanwhile, in Omaheke in the Drimiopsis area, a 34-year-old man hanged himself with a shoelace after an argument with his girlfriend, which had started at a local shebeen and continued at home.
According to the police, the man confronted the girlfriend on why she allegedly shared ice with another man whilst at the shebeen.
“He took a spear and walked towards the girlfriend with the intent to assault her, but the girlfriend grabbed the spear resulting in wrestling between the two. The girlfriend managed to escape and ran away together with their children to her aunt’s house without being harmed,” reads the report.
The report further indicates that the deceased went to his girlfriend aunt’s house and asked the girlfriend to go back home, but she reportedly refused.
“The deceased informed the girlfriend that her cousin reported him to the police and that he was expecting to be arrested and go to jail anytime, so she must take care of the children. On the same Saturday, at about 13h00, the body of the deceased was found hanging on a tree by a person who went to look for firewood,” said the police.
– ljason@nepc.com.na