Eveline de Klerk
Walvis Bay-The killing of yet another elderly resident of Swakopmund on Friday by his own employee has sent shockwaves through the entire coastal community.
The elderly resident, who was identified as 78-year-old Manfried Karl Hartman, was allegedly killed by his gardener between Thursday morning and Friday evening last week at his house at the corner of Amatis and Turnmarine streets in Venita.
The 24-year-old suspect, whose identity is currently withheld, was employed for about two months by the deceased.
According to Chief Inspector Erastus Iikuyu, Hartman was overpowered and taken to an outside bathroom by the suspect who was arrested late Friday evening in Outjo.
“The old man’s hands were tied behind his back and then tied against the outlet pipe of the toilet pot,” Iikuyu said.
Iikuyu said the suspect also assaulted the deceased with two bricks on the head and robbed the victim of a Samsung phone and laptop. The suspect tampered with the safe of the deceased but failed to open it.
According to Iikuyu, Hartman body, which was found lying in a pool of blood, was discovered on Friday morning around 09h45 by police officers who were alerted by neighbours who got worried when they did not see the victim.
Prompt action by the police led to the arrest of the suspect on Friday evening in Outjo in the Otjizondjupa Region. He is expected to appear in court today.
The case is the third of an elderly person who was robbed and killed in Swakopmund in a matter of weeks.
Three men earlier this month also viciously attacked, robbed and killed an elderly couple in Swakopmund.
The 79-year-old- Rosvietha Strzeleki died during the attack while her husband, Siegfried Strzelecki, died last week in a frail care unit due injuries he sustained in the attack.