Okahandja murders: Police urge families to seek case updates

Okahandja Police Station commander Tjarimba Mathais has urged the families of murdered children to maintain regular communication with the police for updates on ongoing investigations.

Mathais said this during the handover of a petition by the Stop the Violence Group and residents at Okahandja on Wednesday.

The petition raises concerns over the unresolved cases of Ingrid Maasdorp, Roswinds Fabian and Beyonce !Kharuxas, saying the bereaved families have not received feedback for more than a year.

The residents are calling for justice, improved policing and urgent action against violent crime.

“I would like to advise and remind you that the parents of the deceased have the legal right to be provided with progress on investigations.

“So I would advise you to have regular communication with them, because legally what the police do is update the victims’ parents,” Mathais said.

He said the petition would be forwarded to the inspector general’s office through the regional commander.

Community members also highlighted escalating violent crime, delayed investigations, insufficient police visibility and declining public trust in law enforcement.

The group called for increased police patrols, faster investigation, stronger women and child protection units, improved forensic services, and the stricter regulation of alcohol and drug-related offences.

Community activist Rosa Namises also addressed the gathering, calling on president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to declare violence against women and children a national crisis.

“We will continue to fight against violence,” she said.

This comes after families at Okahandja expressed frustration over delays in the investigation of child murder cases, saying they had received little feedback from the police months after the killings.

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