Second tourist murder suspect caught in Windhoek

A SECOND suspect in the robbery and murder of a German tourist in the Khomas Hochland in early July has been arrested.

The 26-year-old suspect is expected to make a first appearance in court today, following his arrest in Windhoek on Friday, the Commanding Officer of the Namibian Police’s Serious Crime Unit, Detective Inspector Michael Unandapo, told The Namibian yesterday. The suspect, who was arrested at a service station in the city’s Mandume Ndemufayo Avenue, is set to join a 37-year-old former Policeman, Fanuel Festus Shipanga, in the case in which Shipanga is already facing charges of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.According to Unandapo, the Police have been on the trail of the man arrested on Friday for some time.He initially evaded arrest by travelling to northern Namibia, but had since returned to Windhoek, where he was finally tracked down on Friday.He was arrested in connection with the killing of a German tourist, Johannes Fellinger, at the Francois Feste ruins in the Khomas Hochland some 60 kilometres west of Windhoek on July 8.The 56-year-old Fellinger, who was a professional photographer, was shot in the head when he reportedly tried to come to his wife’s rescue while she was being attacked by two armed men at the ruins.Having killed Fellinger, the attackers loaded his body into the bakkie that Fellinger and his wife had rented upon their arrival in Namibia a few hours earlier, and set off on a gravel road leading from the site of the attack.They later dumped Fellinger’s body before continuing on their way, with the captive Mrs Fellinger still with them in the vehicle.When the vehicle eventually overturned in the course of their flight, during which a local part-time farmer was pursuing them after becoming suspicious about their movements on his farm, the attackers fled on foot into the rugged and rocky terrain of the Khomas Hochland.Police teams that searched the area for days afterwards did not manage to track down the two suspects.The incident was widely reported internationally and did Namibia’s image as a safe tourism destination no favours.Shipanga was arrested at Ondangwa on August 3.He was ordered to remain in custody when he made a first appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on August 15.He has to reappear in court on December 6.The suspect, who was arrested at a service station in the city’s Mandume Ndemufayo Avenue, is set to join a 37-year-old former Policeman, Fanuel Festus Shipanga, in the case in which Shipanga is already facing charges of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.According to Unandapo, the Police have been on the trail of the man arrested on Friday for some time.He initially evaded arrest by travelling to northern Namibia, but had since returned to Windhoek, where he was finally tracked down on Friday.He was arrested in connection with the killing of a German tourist, Johannes Fellinger, at the Francois Feste ruins in the Khomas Hochland some 60 kilometres west of Windhoek on July 8.The 56-year-old Fellinger, who was a professional photographer, was shot in the head when he reportedly tried to come to his wife’s rescue while she was being attacked by two armed men at the ruins.Having killed Fellinger, the attackers loaded his body into the bakkie that Fellinger and his wife had rented upon their arrival in Namibia a few hours earlier, and set off on a gravel road leading from the site of the attack. They later dumped Fellinger’s body before continuing on their way, with the captive Mrs Fellinger still with them in the vehicle.When the vehicle eventually overturned in the course of their flight, during which a local part-time farmer was pursuing them after becoming suspicious about their movements on his farm, the attackers fled on foot into the rugged and rocky terrain of the Khomas Hochland.Police teams that searched the area for days afterwards did not manage to track down the two suspects.The incident was widely reported internationally and did Namibia’s image as a safe tourism destination no favours.Shipanga was arrested at Ondangwa on August 3.He was ordered to remain in custody when he made a first appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on August 15.He has to reappear in court on December 6.