Woman killed on grape farm

Home Crime and Courts Woman killed on grape farm

By Roland Routh

WINDHOEK – Another fatal case of domestic violence was reported to the police over the weekend. 

Deputy Police Commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi confirmed this at the weekly media briefing held in Windhoek yesterday. 

He said Dophistar Mwaka Chinyama, 24, was reportedly strangled to death by her 28-year old boyfriend in her room at Aussenkehr in the Karasburg district. 

The incident happened at around 22h50 on Saturday and the suspect was arrested and will appear in the Karasburg Magistrate’s Court today on a charge of murder. 

It was also reported that a shack was reduced to ashes on Saturday between 02h00 and 03h00 at Grunau settlement in the Karasburg district. 

According to information available Katrina Malinda Rooi, 33, suffered light burns on her head and both hands. It is suspected Rooi who was the last person to arrive at the shack came home drunk and fell asleep while smoking. 

She was admitted to Karasburg hospital. A case of arson was opened at Karasburg police station and investigations continue. 

Also in the Karas Region, a 33-year-old Namibian male was arrested for being in possession of 13 mandrax tablets with a street value of N$650 at about 17h10 at Riverside in Bethanie. He will appear in the Bethanie Magistrate’s Court today on a charge of dealing in drugs. 

Two elderly German citizens died when the vehicle they were travelling in overturned after the right front tyre burst causing the driver to lose control of the Toyota Quantum minibus. 

The incident happened at about 16h00 on Friday on the B1 Road near Mariental. 

The deceased were identified as Ralph Schroder, 80, from Germany and his wife, 78-year-old U. Schroder. 

The other deceased was identified as Jochen Brancht, a Namibian male. 

Another of the passengers, Kurt Biederlak, was rushed to Windhoek with serious injuries, while the driver, Hartmut Otto, a Namibian male, and three other passengers sustained minor injuries and were treated in Mariental hospital. They were identified as a Mr Pritzen, Johan Bracht and Mr Voigt.

In Windhoek it was reported that three taxis were involved in an accident on the corner of Independence Avenue and Hans-Dietrich Genscher Road at about 02h00 on Friday. According to the police report a green Toyota Corolla taxi failed to stop at a red light and hit a Silver Corolla taxi whereafter it (green taxi) became airborne and crashed into a white Toyota Corolla taxi that was waiting at the red light. 

The driver of the green taxi died on the spot and his passenger sustained serious injuries and was taken to Katutura hospital. 

Their identities are not known at this stage. 

A South African truck driver lost his life after his truck carrying examination papers for Grade 10 final exams collided head-on with a Namibian truck about 20km before Windhoek on the Windhoek-Rehoboth Road. 

The driver of the Namibian truck, who was identified as Benjamin Imanuel, 43, also died on the spot along with his passenger, 33-year old Moses Hashane. 

The South African was identified as 47-year- old Hendrick Jacobus Hertzog.