Police to get clued up on handling serial murders

THE emergence of what appears to be serial killings in Namibia seems to have touched a nerve with Minister of Safety and Security, Peter Tsheehama, who told the National Assembly yesterday that the Namibian Police needed more training to handle this type of crime.

Citing the yet unresolved case of Juanita Mabula, whose decapitated body was found next to a road in Windhoek nearly seven months ago, Tsheehama said he believed murder by serial killers was on the increase in the country. No arrests have been made in the Mabula case, even after her head was found along the road in the Rehoboth area a month after her death.”The force needs to inject new blood amongst its ranks and also to train the current members, particularly those of the criminal investigation units – especially to try and timely solve violent crime cases, including what appears to be serial killings, such as the Mabula and other similar cases,” said Tsheehama.Tsheehama said while NamPol had managed to reduce armed robbery cases, he was concerned about the high number of car thefts, stock thefts, rapes and murders.He was speaking during the debate of the N$784 million budget of the Police for the 2006-07 financial year, of which 95 per cent will be spent on operations.Tsheehama noted that the number of setbacks the force had experienced last year, which affected its activities, would continue to persist in the current financial year because of a limited budget.As was the case last year, the Police holding cells continue to be extended beyond their capacity.”This has even become a serious administrative and financial problem to the Namibian Police, in terms of feeding these trial-awaiting prisoners, ensuring the provision of water and electricity to the respective Police Stations and generally maintaining hygiene within the holding facilities,” Tsheehama said.NamPol would also be unable to recruit new members and provide sufficient in-service training, expand its insufficient vehicle fleet, implement the National Action Plan on Small Arms and Light Weapons, purchase uniforms, modern equipment, fuel and feed trial-awaiting prisoners.Tsheehama revealed that the most prevalent crime over the past year was assault with the intent to cause bodily harm, and 85 484 such cases were recorded during 2005.Of this number 16 348 were withdrawn, 25 580 remained unresolved and 382 cases were found to be false.The Police still have to deal with 12 109 of these cases.All 35 336 suspects arrested by NamPol during 2005 have appeared before court – of this number 1 219 were juveniles.More than 2 000 juveniles were victims of crime during 2005, as were more than 70 000 adults.Tsheehama was pleased to note that armed robberies had reduced over the past year.Motor vehicle theft cases amounted to 490 in 2005 – 343 of them stolen in Windhoek.The Police recovered 157 of these stolen vehicles.But Tsheehama said several false cases were reported after people sold their vehicles or lent them to friends, and later claimed they had been stolen.Tsheehama said NamPol was also investigating high-profile cases within the public and private sectors in which large amounts of money were stolen.With the N$9 million allocated for capital projects, the Police plan to address an acute shortage of accommodation.The protection of the Head of State, State House and the presidential guest houses will cost the State N$49 million during 2006-07 while the Protection Services Unit will require N$107 million to protect national leaders and dignitaries.Combating crime will receive the largest chunk of the operational budget in the amount of N$362 million, followed by border patrol, which will cost N$268 million.No arrests have been made in the Mabula case, even after her head was found along the road in the Rehoboth area a month after her death.”The force needs to inject new blood amongst its ranks and also to train the current members, particularly those of the criminal investigation units – especially to try and timely solve violent crime cases, including what appears to be serial killings, such as the Mabula and other similar cases,” said Tsheehama.Tsheehama said while NamPol had managed to reduce armed robbery cases, he was concerned about the high number of car thefts, stock thefts, rapes and murders.He was speaking during the debate of the N$784 million budget of the Police for the 2006-07 financial year, of which 95 per cent will be spent on operations.Tsheehama noted that the number of setbacks the force had experienced last year, which affected its activities, would continue to persist in the current financial year because of a limited budget.As was the case last year, the Police holding cells continue to be extended beyond their capacity.”This has even become a serious administrative and financial problem to the Namibian Police, in terms of feeding these trial-awaiting prisoners, ensuring the provision of water and electricity to the respective Police Stations and generally maintaining hygiene within the holding facilities,” Tsheehama said.NamPol would also be unable to recruit new members and provide sufficient in-service training, expand its insufficient vehicle fleet, implement the National Action Plan on Small Arms and Light Weapons, purchase uniforms, modern equipment, fuel and feed trial-awaiting prisoners.Tsheehama revealed that the most prevalent crime over the past year was assault with the intent to cause bodily harm, and 85 484 such cases were recorded during 2005.Of this number 16 348 were withdrawn, 25 580 remained unresolved and 382 cases were found to be false.The Police still have to deal with 12 109 of these cases.All 35 336 suspects arrested by NamPol during 2005 have appeared before court – of this number 1 219 were juveniles.More than 2 000 juveniles were victims of crime during 2005, as were more than 70 000 adults.Tsheehama was pleased to note that armed robberies had reduced over the past year.Motor vehicle theft cases amounted to 490 in 2005 – 343 of them stolen in Windhoek.The Police recovered 157 of these stolen vehicles.But Tsheehama said several false cases were reported after people sold their vehicles or lent them to friends, and later claimed they had been stolen.Tsheehama said NamPol was also investigating high-profile cases within the public and private sectors in which large amounts of money were stolen.With the N$9 million allocated for capital projects, the Police plan to address an acute shortage of accommodation.The protection of the Head of State, State House and the presidential guest houses will cost the State N$49 million during 2006-07 while the Protection Services Unit will require N$107 million to protect national leaders and dignitaries.Combating crime will receive the largest chunk of the operational budget in the amount of N$362 million, followed by border patrol, which will cost N$268 million.