‘He died in my arms’

THE cousin of University of Namibia student Redney ‘Oumes’ Gariseb, who was gunned down in cold blood on Friday, said he watched helplessly as the 20-year-old died.

Redney, a second year bachelor of accounting student, was killed while returning from Baines Shopping Centre in Pionierspark in the company of his cousin and a friend.

Police spokesperson inspector Slogan Matheus yesterday said the students were accosted by three men and they started running away but Redney was not lucky. Matheus said paramedics pronounced the student dead at the crime scene.

Redney’s cousin Allen Narib, a first-year psychology student at Unam, held back tears yesterday when he told The Namibian how Redney just called out his name while dying in his arms.

“He died in my arms. I kept telling him to fight on and not leave me alone but the last thing he said was just call my name,” Narib said.

“We used to do everything together. Our motto was: ‘As long as we are together’. We have so many childhood memories together and had bigger plans for the future,” Narib said.

Narib said Redney, who was being funded by the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund, had a dream to become an auditor and help trace fraudsters within a week or month.

“He didn’t like the fact that it took years before fraudsters are caught,” Narib, who pleaded with Unam authorities to improve safety on campus, said.

Redney’s friend Gregory Smale said: “He was a good person and didn’t deserve to die like that. Unam should improve the safety of students on campus.”

Speaking from his home at Walvis Bay, Redney’s father Jafeta Katjivari said his son was the family’s ticket out of poverty.

Katjivari described Redney as an obedient child who always returned home on time whenever he left with friends.

“He was always positive and was in a position to make life better for us. He was never selfish, and was always willing to help,” Katjivari said, adding that Redney inspired others and that it is unfortunate that his days were cut short.

“His friends will remember that he was always willing to help others,” Katjivari said.

Sounding very spiritual, Katjivari said his son was at hostel in high school and did not always have an easy life, and it was not easy to send him to school but he and his wife sacrificed the little they had for his sake.

“We had hoped that one day he would take us to the promised land of Canaan and he too kept telling us that one day we would be able to afford what others can afford,” the father said.

One lesson, Katjivari said, he always taught his son was that it did not matter what he was going through, but that when he left he should be in a better position.

“He has done just that. He will be dearly missed by the whole community here at Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. His work speaks for him. He helped his friends with accounting and mathematics because he was very good at that. It is unfortunate he could not realise his dreams,” Katjivari said.

Katjivari, who works as an industrial officer, said his 13-year-old daughter has realised that something has happened to her brother and that he is not coming back home.

“She called him ‘Aboetie’ so we always thought one day when we are not around, he would take care of his young sister,” added Katjivari.

Saying that he went to see where his son was gunned down, Katjivari aksed why innocent children lose their lives unnecessarily.

“Why would the robbers target Unam students? They are not multimillionaires. We need to turn to God if the world we live in is like this,” he said.Unam spokesperson John Haufiku said the university community was grieving together with Redney’s family and friends.

“We cannot claim to understand their loss. We can only imagine their pain. When your child is robbed across the street from your house, any good parent will still feel personally responsible. This is how the Unam management feels,” Haufiku said.

He also said that although the tragedy took place about 350 metres from the campus, the university will act.

“The safety of students should not only be enforced on campus, but must be extended to immediate surroundings. We hope that the criminals will be caught and brought to book,” he asserted.

Haufiku noted that the office of the dean of students, estate services and security are busy compiling a strategy for management to consider.

“We assure all parents and students that this matter is receiving the highest priority,” he said.

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