“I DID not believe it when Hendrina’s mother called me to inform me my daughter was run over by a vehicle at the Hardap scheme. That is not the way I thought the day would go.
“When she passed on later, the world around me started spinning. I could not believe it. My baby girl …”
Elia Amupolo (35) is the father of Hendrina Amupolo (9), who was allegedly run over by the owner of Plot K11 at the Hardap irrigation scheme, Johan Meyer (50) on the outskirts of Mariental on Sunday.
Hendrina, her mother, Annemarie !Aochamus (34), !Aochamus’ sisters, and their children were reportedly collecting beans at the plot.
Amupolo says Hendrina was a friendly, smart and obedient girl and had many friends.
She was a Grade 6 pupil at DD #Guibeb Primary School at Mariental.
“My daughter wanted to become someone influential in life and change the world. She had a smile every day … she was a real people’s person,” he says.
Hendrina was living with !Aochamus, the unemployed mother of five, at Ombili 3 informal settlement.
!Aochamus says everyone is looking for food such as beans, millet and vegetables for their children in winter.
When they heard Meyer had allegedly given community members permission to collect beans, she and her sisters took their children to do so.
However, the police report on the matter said Hendrina, !Aochamus, and several other people were in Meyer’s field without his consent, where they collected beans he had planted.
“The suspect spotted them and then chased them with his motor vehicle. In the process, the deceased fell and the vehicle drove over her, causing internal injuries. Police investigations continue,” the report said.
“We would never have gone into that field if we didn’t hear from the people that the owner of the field gave permission.
“We saw the people carrying bags home last week. So sisters and I took our six children to go collect as well,” !Aochamus says.
She says Meyer approached the field in a white Land Cruiser and started chasing her sister’s son, who was walking a distance in front of them, with the vehicle.
“We shouted and screamed that he should leave the boy. We told the owner it appears he does not want us there, so allow us to just leave.
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