Rape the most common crime in Omusati

RAPE is the most common serious crime committed in the Omusati Region, says Sergeant Linekela Shikongo of the Omusati Police.

Shikongo says 29 cases of rape have been reported in the region so far this year, for which 18 suspects have been arrested and charged. Eleven suspects are still at large.Shikongo says most of the suspects not yet arrested are foreign nationals, especially Angolans, working in Namibia.After committing the crimes, they fled back to their countries of origin, he said.According to Shikongo, only seven of the 29 rape victims were adults older than 18.The other 22 victims were children under 18.Because of the high number of rape cases in the region, Shikongo said, the Police have started to raise awareness of the crime among local communities.He said the Police were making use of the NBC’s Oshiwambo radio service to urge people to ensure the safety of their children.They are also warning women not to walk alone, especially not at night, in dangerous areas such as dense bush or the vicinity of cuca shops.STOCK THEFT Cross-border stock theft is another problem for the Police in the North, Shikongo said.He said rustlers stole livestock from the oshanas where they were grazing and herded them into Angola.Some of them then bring the stolen animals back into the country from Angola and try to sell them at auctions run by traditional authorities in the Ombalantu and Uukolonkadhi traditional districts.Shikongo said the Police, in co-operation with the traditional authorities, had taken measures to combat stock theft by appointing agents to control the auctions.”Usually cattle stolen in Angola and brought to be sold at those traditional auction places in Namibia do not have earmarks.That makes it difficult for the agents to identify who they belong to, but on the other hand it makes it easier to determine that those are stolen cattle or goats,” he said.Eleven suspects are still at large.Shikongo says most of the suspects not yet arrested are foreign nationals, especially Angolans, working in Namibia.After committing the crimes, they fled back to their countries of origin, he said.According to Shikongo, only seven of the 29 rape victims were adults older than 18.The other 22 victims were children under 18.Because of the high number of rape cases in the region, Shikongo said, the Police have started to raise awareness of the crime among local communities.He said the Police were making use of the NBC’s Oshiwambo radio service to urge people to ensure the safety of their children.They are also warning women not to walk alone, especially not at night, in dangerous areas such as dense bush or the vicinity of cuca shops.STOCK THEFT Cross-border stock theft is another problem for the Police in the North, Shikongo said.He said rustlers stole livestock from the oshanas where they were grazing and herded them into Angola.Some of them then bring the stolen animals back into the country from Angola and try to sell them at auctions run by traditional authorities in the Ombalantu and Uukolonkadhi traditional districts.Shikongo said the Police, in co-operation with the traditional authorities, had taken measures to combat stock theft by appointing agents to control the auctions.”Usually cattle stolen in Angola and brought to be sold at those traditional auction places in Namibia do not have earmarks.That makes it difficult for the agents to identify who they belong to, but on the other hand it makes it easier to determine that those are stolen cattle or goats,” he said.