Mutilated body of transgender woman discovered

The body of a transgender woman (30), identified as Christof Fredricks, was discovered with 32 stab wounds and her private parts cut off in Otjomuise’s 7de Laan in Windhoek on Thursday.

Fredricks, who was a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex and other community and preferred to identify as a woman, was last seen by family members on Wednesday morning when she packed her clothes to visit a friend’s place.

Fredricks aunt, Beniqna Visser, says she was home when she received a random call from a community member that a “[offensive term] had been murdered” in Otjomuise.

“My heart immediately dropped as soon as I received the call because according to the caller, the deceased is identified as ‘Sexy Charmy’, which is what we call him (her) at home.

“When we got to the scene, we immediately saw her black dress, hair and underwear on the ground,” Visser says.

The emotional Visser, who was left in shock, says part of her is still in denial and hopeful that Fredricks will return home.

With a shaky voice and her face covered in tears, Visser questioned why someone would be “so cruel to perform such a gruesome” act.

“I believe this was done by two or more people because how can someone cut Fredricks private parts and put it on her chest, her body had about 32 stab wounds all over,” she says.

“At this point we are all clueless on who could possibly have done this because she was never open to us on who she was romantically involved with.”

Police spokesperson Elifas Kuwinga confirmed that Fredricks mutilated body was discovered by a passerby in a riverbed next to the Chairman Mao Zendong High School in Otjomuise.

“The body has multiple stab wounds and the private part of the deceased was cut off and placed on his (her) chest. What is suspected to be his (her) clothes were found at a distance from the body, along Ghanzi Street, as well as several blood spots along the road,” says Kuwinga.

Kuwinga further says Fredricks aunt said she left home on Wednesday morning between 10h00 and 11h00 in the company of a friend and never returned home.

“The last they heard is that they parted ways with the friend at the Otjomuise shops, until the discovery of his (her) mutilated body this [Thursday] morning. Investigations continue,” says Kuwinga.