WALVIS BAY – Residents of Rehoboth are outraged over the senseless killing and alleged rape of a 64-year-old woman identified as Helena Wemmert in the town. The suspect has been identified as an alleged repeat offender, and is deemed dangerous by the community.
More shockingly, the 29-year-old suspect had a pending murder case, and was expected to appear in court later this month. A police source confirmed that the same suspect is linked to the murder of a man who was robbed and killed in a riverbed at that town last June.
Hardap deputy commissioner Gesina Nell acknowledged the ongoing court proceedings related to a previous murder case involving the suspect.
“Yes, the suspect was out on bail for a previous murder case, but will appear today in the Rehoboth magistrate’s court for the murder of the elderly woman,” she told New Era yesterday.
Wemmert was allegedly robbed, raped and murdered in the early hours of Tuesday by the suspect.
Police spokesperson Kauna Skikwambi indicated that her throat was slit with an unknown object, and she was found half-naked.
Her murder not only sent shockwaves throughout the closely-knit community of Rehoboth, but prompted residents to express dissatisfaction with the justice system by airing their views on social media.
“How do you grant bail to someone so dangerous and who had already committed a murder, only to go on and kill another person?”, a resident of the town asked on social media.
Others pointed out the close family connection between the suspect and Wemmert. “His grandmother and Wemmert are sisters, so this is a double blow for the family. Nobody was prepared for this. No one really knows why he did it, and it’s something that no one can believe,” a close relative wrote on social media yesterday, describing Wemmert as a lovely, kind and joyful grandmother.
“Who does this to a mother, a grandmother? The world is evil and deeply dirty”, another resident shocked by the brutality of the crime, questioned.
Rehoboth mayor Amanda Groenewaldt condemned the murder, stating that it is horrifying and senseless, while instilling fear in women. She then called for stricter measures to protect women, urging the government to identify repeat offenders and dangerous criminals, and courts to deny them bail.
“It really pains my heart that in this enlightened era, women are still dying at the hands of men. Something must be done. I am appealing to the government to look at laws, and identify repeat offenders. We must take stricter measures to protect our women,” Groenewaldt reiterated.
She attributed many crimes to drug use, and criticised the ease with which individuals accused of serious offences are granted bail.
“People are getting bail too easily, even if they have committed murder or any other serious crimes. The stakeholders in the judicial system and the police must really look at how these cases are handled,” she emphasised.
Groenewaldt likewise wants support for the grieving family, and expressed hope that justice would prevail. “This has affected not only the family and residents of Rehoboth, but the whole country,” she continued.
– edeklerk@nepc.com.na