Father (64) accused of raping son in Ohangwena

A man (64) from a village in the Ohangwena region has been arrested after he allegedly raped his son (12) at a traditional homestead on 17 May.

The man’s identity is known, but is being withheld to protect the victim’s identity. The suspect was arrested and made his first appearance in the Eenhana Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. He is charged under the Combating of Rape Act.

According to a statement the victim gave to the Namibian Police, he shared a room that night with his father, who was visiting the relative’s house where the the child lives.

The young victim says after the alleged rape, his father cautioned him not to tell anyone, saying, “those kinds of things cannot be told.”

The woman (58) who owns the house where the alleged rape happened, and is married to the accused’s younger brother, confirmed that the accused arrived that day and requested to share a room with his son after they finished cooking dinner.

In her statement, she says she called the child the next morning, and he appeared to be distressed. She says later that day, she was at a cucashop and called the victim out of the house to get a haircut. She says the accused also came to the cucashop, and later followed the victim home.

“Subsequently, I went home and found the suspect already sleeping while the minor was at the cooking area alone,” the woman says. Later, the victim told her what had happened, and she reported the matter to the police and requested that an investigation be carried out.

State prosecutor Pallhus Shuudeni opposed the granting of bail, saying it was not in the public interest and the accused was remanded in custody.

Magistrate Adriana Sangundji presided over the matter.

The matter was postponed to 21 July for further police investigations.

The Namibian reported this week that Gabriel Alfonso (58) from Omaalala village in the Oshana region appeared in the Oshakati Magistrate’s Court this week for allegedly preying on schoolboys by promising them money and luring them with food and bicycles.

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