The two suspects were both employed by Andrei Pastouchkov and Svetlana Lobanova, who were found murdered at their plot north of Okahandja on Tuesday, the Police reported yesterday.

It is suspected that Pastouchkov (50) and Lobanova (44) had been hacked to death with a panga.

A first suspect, aged 18, was arrested at Nau-Aib at Okahandja on Wednesday, Chief Inspector Angula Amulungu, Commanding Officer of the Namibian Police's Public Relations and Liaison Division, told The Namibian yesterday.

The second suspect, aged 21, was arrested at Otjimbingwe southwest of Okahandja yesterday, Amulungu said.

Both suspects had been employed by the murdered couple, Amulungu said.

Pastouchkov and Lobanova were farming with poultry at the smallholding where they were killed.

They had been living at Okahandja for about six years, and had been living in Namibia for about eight years.

According to Amulungu, it is alleged that the 18-year-old suspect was found with some items stolen from the murdered couple in his possession.

He had also given money believed to have been stolen from the couple to someone else for safekeeping, Amulungu said.

It is also claimed that the suspect who was arrested yesterday had a pistol, jewellery and a duvet belonging to the couple in his possession, Amulungu added.

The younger suspect is alleged to have made a statement to a Magistrate in Windhoek on Wednesday afternoon.

Pastouchkov's body was found in a chicken pen at the couple's smallholding on Tuesday.

Lobanova's body was discovered in a room in the couple's house.

According to Amulungu, an autopsy conducted on Wednesday established that Pastouchkov had died of a deep cut to his neck.

About ten cuts were found on Lobanova's body, with three of these particularly severe wounds, he said.

It was found that one gash in Lobanova's neck could have been fatal in itself, Amulungu said.

The arrested men are expected to appear in the Okahandja Magistrate's Court today.

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