OMUNGWELUME – Eliud Shilongo Hamukwa (38), who was allegedly shot and killed by a police officer at the Onhuno roadblock last week, was laid to rest yesterday at Omungwelume village in the Ohangwena region.
Hamukwa, who was a truck driver, was shot died while sitting in his truck at around 23h30.
The suspect in his death, Sergeant Dimbulukeveni Namhila (43), was denied bail in the Ohangwena Magistrate’s Court last week. His case has been postponed to 3 June for further police investigations.
Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Joseph Shikongo, conveyed his condolences to the Hamukwa family following the unfortunate incident.
He confirmed that an investigation into the actions of Namhila has commenced, and urged the public to remain patient.
“Let us wait for the investigation to be completed, which should happen as soon as possible. The findings will determine the reason why Hamukwa was shot and killed,” he said.
Shikongo also encouraged members of the public to promptly report police officers who are violent or abusive.
The victim’s mother, Loide Shilomboleni, described her son as the family’s breadwinner.
She said she is now left with only one daughter, as all three of her children have died.
“How can a police officer, who is supposed to protect us, kill my one and only son like that? My son deserves justice,” she lamented.
Neighbours and family members described Hamukwa as a peaceful and disciplined young man, who often assisted the community’s most vulnerable, especially pensioners.
Oom Kamati, who spoke on behalf of the Hamukwa family, called for a fair and transparent investigation into the incident, without any effort to protect the accused officer.
He also urged the government to reconsider issuing firearms to all police officers, stating
that some are not fit to carry weapons.
“If Hamukwa had broken the law, the police should have arrested him. Killing him was not the solution,” he said.
“Hamukwa was the provider for his mother and the entire family. This is a big loss.”
Kamati further advised the public to respect police officers and obey the law, but emphasised that law-enforcement should also act within their mandate to protect the public.
Hamukwa is survived by a son, father and mother.
In a notable gesture, the family of the suspect also attended the funeral to express their sympathy.