ONGALI – A 27-year-old man was left gutted, in shock and disbelief that his childhood playmate would one day take away his precious gift, his mother.
Antonio Fernando’s mother, Jacobina Shivule (47), was allegedly killed by her 29-year-old boyfriend on Sunday, after he allegedly demanded money from her.
“My mom would make N$4 000 a day. I am sure he was just looking for survival.
Although he was not my friend, we played and grew up together. I did not expect him to date my mother,” he said.
The Oshana police are investigating a case of murder after Shivule, was allegedly killed by her boyfriend in Ongali village.
The suspect, identified as David Nghiimbwasha, is still at large, with the police seeking public assistance to apprehend him.
“My mother’s death is a great and sad loss. How are we going to survive? Who is going to help my sister, who is at university? I wonder how she will take this news. That is why we are scared to tell her,” he questioned.
Fernando described her mother as a hard worker and a people’s person.
Maria Nikodemus, the victim’s cousin, narrated that she anticipated such an incident.
“A week would not pass by without them fighting. Their relationship had become toxic,” she said.
She stated that on Saturday, Shivule was beaten by the suspect at the nearby Cuca shops in a gruesome fight that was stopped by the community members.
“My cousin told me she would not go sleep at her home since she was scared, but that she would first go to the hospital. I do not know how she changed her mind – later, she asked me for her house keys, and left,” she added.
Nikodemus said on that fateful Sunday morning, she was very worried, and she started making calls.
She said one of her cousins came to look for her, and no one was responding, so she went to ask her neighbours if they had seen her.
“She then went back to the deceased’s house with neighbours, since the entrance door could only open from inside.
They sent an eight-year-old child to open from inside, and she proceeded to the deceased room. The girl then came back running and screaming,” she recalled.
Soon, they started fearing for the worst.
When they went inside, they saw Shivule’s body in a pool of blood, covered with a blanket.
The suspect’s stepmother, Pashukeni Nuujoma, said her stepson had been wreaking havoc.
“We never used to sleep. He would demand my pension money, and insulted, assaulted and threatened me,’’ she said.
She extended condolences to the bereaved family.
Oshana crime investigation coordinator deputy commissioner Frederick Ndjadila provided preliminary details on what transpired.
He said the incident occurred on Sunday at an unknown time.
He said the victim and the suspect were in a romantic relationship, and were cohabiting at the victim’s house in Ongali village.
He said a kitchen knife with blood and pieces of a bloody, broken pounding stick were found at the scene.
“Shoe prints of the suspect were seen at the scene, leaving the room and the house last,” he added.