Day: July 3, 2024

WINDHOEK: Presiding Judge Naomi Shivute on Wednesday reserved judgment in a matter in which a man accused of having raped and murdered a woman, is disputing implicating statements he made to the police at the time of his arrest.

Shivute in the High Court reserved judgement to 07 August 2024, and also ordered that the trial commences on 20 January 2025.

In the matter, the accused, Abel Mokalabatho, 26, allegedly raped and murdered 27-year-old Anna Geinamses on 01 August 2020 while the two were socialising with friends. The state is charging that Geinamses went to an outside toilet, whereupon the suspect followed her and dragged her to his bedroom, a distance away from the toilet.

Further allegations are that he locked himself and Geinamses in the room and raped her before killing her.

‘When the deceased wanted to leave the bedroom on Sunday she informed the accused that she would report him to her mother and the police. This caused the accused to kill the deceased by stabbing her with a knife in the neck a
nd strangling her with a piece of wire,’ the indictment reads.

It is further alleged that the accused dumped the body in a drain some distance away from his bedroom. The state is also alleging that Mokalabatho cleared the crime scene and buried the murder weapon, a knife.

Mokalabatho faces charges of murder, three counts of rape, kidnapping, and defeating the course of justice. Upon his arrest, Mokalabatho accompanied the police to the crime scene, pointing out incriminating evidence, a decision he now challenges. He is also challenging the search and arrest warrants as well as a plea he made in accordance with Section 119 of the Criminal Procedure Act.

Mbanga Siyomundji is representing Mokalabatho, while Ethel Ndlovu is representing the State.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

When Onelago village resident Andreas Nduutapo recently left his home to watch a soccer match at a nearby bar, little did he know his night would take an unexpected turn.

The 29-year-old was on his way back home around 23h00 when he decided to take a shortcut near a local cemetery and heard the piercing cry of a baby.

‘The first thing that came into my mind was saving the baby from the cold,’ he said.

Upon closer inspection, Nduutapo realised that someone had abandoned their baby in the cemetery.

Despite his fear of the unknown, Nduupato took her into his arms and walked to a nearby house to ask if anyone knew the baby, but no one could identify her.

He then went back to the bar where he watched soccer, desperately searching for someone who might know the baby or her family, but to no avail.

‘We then called the police’s toll-free number with the hope of being directed to the nearest police station for the baby to be rescued and receive medical attention,’ he said.

While waiting for the police to arrive
, all he could think of was keeping the baby warm.

Nduupato stressed that his goal was to save the baby as she was left in the cemetery without blankets or food, only the clothes she was wearing at the time – a blue babygrow, pink shirt, and blue beanie.

The Namibian Police Force’s Head of Community Policing for Oshana, Chief Inspector Thomas Aiyambo, revealed that the baby girl is believed to be eight months old, is the second case of baby dumping in the region this year.

The first incident involved a 21-year-old woman employed as a nanny who gave birth to a baby boy in March, wrapped the infant in a yellow dress and plastic bag and placed him in a dust bin.

In that case, the baby was found by employees of the Oshakati Town Council.

Aiyambo said the baby girl found last week is safe and sound and the police are working around the clock to locate her mother. If the mother is not found, the baby will be left in the care of her grandmother, who was recently traced.

These are but two babies out of many dum
ped in Namibia yearly.

Approached for comment, Chief Social Worker in the Oshana Region, Monika Erasmus indicated that most baby dumping cases are a result of social, economic and cultural factors.

‘In many cases, women dump their newborn babies because of rejection from the babies’ fathers, fear of responsibility due to financial limitations and beliefs that they are not supposed to bear children before marriage,’ she said.

She said that back in the days, being pregnant before marriage was seen as taboo and this belief persists.

She then advised mothers who are unable to take care of their newborn babies to take them to the Oshakati State Hospital, police stations, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, or to hand them over to family members who are in a better position to take care of the babies. She explained that officials have no right to refuse taking in the babies.

She further said women should be educated on how to prevent unwanted pregnancies to avoid more baby dumping cases.

‘Women
must be educated to prevent incidents of baby dumping. We must encourage our women to abstain from sex or protect themselves. Sex will always be there,’ she added.

She stressed that parents should also start having conversations with their children on sex education to ensure that awareness is raised in the home.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

WINDHOEK: Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, Albert Kawana on Wednesday stated that Namibia will not recognise same-sex marriages, as the country’s values, traditions and customs are anchored in Christianity.

Kawana was motivating the Marriage Bill in the National Assembly, following the passing of two private members bills by Swapo parliamentarian, Jerry Ekandjo, addressing same sex marriage. This is after the Supreme Court, in a landmark judgment, ordered for the recognition of same sex marriages contracted outside Namibia.

‘Therefore, it is imperative that legislative reforms must be put in place in order to make it categorically clear and beyond any shadow of doubt that same sex marriages should not be recognised in Namibia because they are contrary to the cultural norms, tradition, ideology and religious beliefs of the Namibian people. A number of laws will have to be amended or repealed in order to clearly define the words marriage and spouse,’ Kawana told lawmakers on Tuesday
.

Kawana stressed the need for a new law to regulate civil marriages in Namibia and to repeal the Marriage Act of 1961 (Act No. 25 of 1961), including all its subsequent amendments.

The proposed Bill will also introduce a pre-solemnisation process, which will compel couples intending to marry to give a three-month notice to government. This process will enable government to confirm if the couple is eligible to marry.

Reacting to the minister’s speech, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual and Queer (LGBTQ) activist, Linda Baumann, in an interview with Nampa said that the Bill, if enacted, would be a setback for the community as it would overturn a significant legal recognition of the Supreme Court ruling.

‘The minister’s position appears to be driven by a combination of political, social and cultural factors. They are basically setting aside the rights of same sex couples. The Bill will definitely foster increased marginalisation and discrimination against the LGBTQ community,’ she said.

Source: The Namibi
a Press Agency