THE Police at Outapi in the Omusati Region have arrested four people in connection with the mob attack on a woman from Okagongo village, whom they accused of witchcraft.
Police spokesman Sergeant Linekela Shikongo said yesterday that Felix Gabriel (26), Bernard Gabriel (26), Frans Nairobi Nambabi (44) and Diina Gabriel (30) were arrested on Friday. They appeared in the Outapi Magistrate’s Court yesterday on a charge of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.They were not asked to plead and were released on bail of N$300 until their next court appearance on August 18.The victim, Hilma Alweendo Bendu (54) from Okagongo village near Ruacana, laid criminal charges after she was beaten up by a mob at a cuca shop near Etunda in the Omusati Region last Tuesday.The mob reportedly accused Bendu of witchcraft after the death of Maria Eveline Matheus at Okagongo village, also near Etunda, on April 24.Bendu said in her statement to the Police that she was beaten with bricks, stones, chairs and empty bottles all over her body at the Okandiikalela cuca shop complex.According to a relative of the late Matheus, many people at Okagongo village want the entire Bendu family removed from the area because they “disturb the peace of the residents with their witchcraft”.The relative said the villagers would hold a demonstration today to demand that the Uukolonkadhi traditional authority remove the Bendu family from the area.They appeared in the Outapi Magistrate’s Court yesterday on a charge of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.They were not asked to plead and were released on bail of N$300 until their next court appearance on August 18.The victim, Hilma Alweendo Bendu (54) from Okagongo village near Ruacana, laid criminal charges after she was beaten up by a mob at a cuca shop near Etunda in the Omusati Region last Tuesday.The mob reportedly accused Bendu of witchcraft after the death of Maria Eveline Matheus at Okagongo village, also near Etunda, on April 24.Bendu said in her statement to the Police that she was beaten with bricks, stones, chairs and empty bottles all over her body at the Okandiikalela cuca shop complex.According to a relative of the late Matheus, many people at Okagongo village want the entire Bendu family removed from the area because they “disturb the peace of the residents with their witchcraft”.The relative said the villagers would hold a demonstration today to demand that the Uukolonkadhi traditional authority remove the Bendu family from the area.
