Butchered woman: N$60 000 reward for info

THE identity of the woman whose dismembered and beheaded remains were found next to the B1 main road between Windhoek and Okahandja on Sunday remained a mystery to Police investigators yesterday.

With no confirmation that could yet be made of the identity of the woman, whose torso was found dumped inside a rubbish bin at a lay-by next to the B1 road about 42 kilometres north of Windhoek early on Sunday afternoon, the Police yesterday announced a N$60 000 reward for information leading to the capture of her killer. Meanwhile, Police said yesterday that a link between the murders of Juanita Mabula and the woman whose torso was found on Sunday could not be ruled out.Deputy Commissioner Marius Visser, the Namibian Police’s co-ordinator for crime investigation in the Khomas Region, told The Namibian late yesterday afternoon that the identity of the woman could not yet be established.Her head, arms and legs, which were severed from the two parts of her torso that were discovered on Sunday, had also not been found at that stage, Visser said.A post-mortem examination of the torso was done at the Police Mortuary in Windhoek yesterday.According to the Director of the National Forensic Science Institute of Namibia, Paul Ludik, who is involved in the investigation, the cause of the woman’s death could not be established.He said it was already clear at the scene where the remains were found that the trunk had been cooled considerably before it was discarded.No clear signs of mutilation of the remains – unless the actual dismemberment was regarded as mutilation – were found, Ludik added.Also yesterday, the Commanding Officer of the Police’s Public Relations and Liaison Division, Chief Inspector Angula Amulungu, announced that the Police are offering a N$60 000 reward to anyone who can provide information leading to the arrest of the murderer.”We sincerely appreciate any assistance that may come our way to solve this case as well as that of the late Mabula,” Amulungu stated in a press release.He was referring to the continuing investigation into the murder of Windhoek resident Juanita Mabula, whose beheaded body was found next to the Western Bypass road near the Windhoek Turf Club and Windhoek Country Club Resort on the morning of September 25 2005.Mabula would have turned 22 years of age a week later.Mabula was positively identified two days after the discovery of her decapitated remains.Her head was found on October 24 2005 – and not October 24 2004, as reported in yesterday’s The Namibian – where it had been discarded next to a road culvert some five kilometres south of the Groot Aub turn-off on the B1 main road between Windhoek and Rehoboth.Despite an almost two-year-long investigation of the Mabula murder, no one has been arrested yet in connection with her death.Visser said yesterday that a link between the murders of Mabula and the woman whose torso was found on Sunday could not be ruled out.Amulungu asked anyone with information on the latest murder to contact Chief Inspector Michael Unandapo of the Serious Crime Unit at telephone (061) 209 4302 or cellphone 081 124 0521, or to contact the nearest Police station.At the time of Mabula’s murder, the Police offered a reward of N$20 000 to anyone who could provide information that would lead to the arrest of those responsible for killing Mabula and 22-year-old Melanie Janse, whose naked remains were found next to the Western Bypass near the Van Eck Power Station in Windhoek on August 20 2005.Meanwhile, Police said yesterday that a link between the murders of Juanita Mabula and the woman whose torso was found on Sunday could not be ruled out.Deputy Commissioner Marius Visser, the Namibian Police’s co-ordinator for crime investigation in the Khomas Region, told The Namibian late yesterday afternoon that the identity of the woman could not yet be established.Her head, arms and legs, which were severed from the two parts of her torso that were discovered on Sunday, had also not been found at that stage, Visser said.A post-mortem examination of the torso was done at the Police Mortuary in Windhoek yesterday.According to the Director of the National Forensic Science Institute of Namibia, Paul Ludik, who is involved in the investigation, the cause of the woman’s death could not be established. He said it was already clear at the scene where the remains were found that the trunk had been cooled considerably before it was discarded.No clear signs of mutilation of the remains – unless the actual dismemberment was regarded as mutilation – were found, Ludik added.Also yesterday, the Commanding Officer of the Police’s Public Relations and Liaison Division, Chief Inspector Angula Amulungu, announced that the Police are offering a N$60 000 reward to anyone who can provide information leading to the arrest of the murderer.”We sincerely appreciate any assistance that may come our way to solve this case as well as that of the late Mabula,” Amulungu stated in a press release.He was referring to the continuing investigation into the murder of Windhoek resident Juanita Mabula, whose beheaded body was found next to the Western Bypass road near the Windhoek Turf Club and Windhoek Country Club Resort on the morning of September 25 2005.Mabula would have turned 22 years of age a week later.Mabula was positively identified two days after the discovery of her decapitated remains.Her head was found on October 24 2005 – and not October 24 2004, as reported in yesterday’s The Namibian – where it had been discarded next to a road culvert some five kilometres south of the Groot Aub turn-off on the B1 main road between Windhoek and Rehoboth.Despite an almost two-year-long investigation of the Mabula murder, no one has been arrested yet in connection with her death.Visser said yesterday that a link between the murders of Mabula and the woman whose torso was found on Sunday could not be ruled out.Amulungu asked anyone with information on the latest murder to contact Chief Inspector Michael Unandapo of the Serious Crime Unit at telephone (061) 209 4302 or cellphone 081 124 0521, or to contact the nearest Police station.At the time of Mabula’s murder, the Police offered a reward of N$20 000 to anyone who could provide information that would lead to the arrest of those responsible for killing Mabula and 22-year-old Melanie Janse, whose naked remains were found next to the Western Bypass near the Van Eck Power Station in Windhoek on August 20 2005.