Still no official crime report on Okahandja shootings

The Namibian Police have still not released a crime report on the killing of five robbery suspects by officers after a high-speed chase through Okahandja last Tuesday.

The suspected robbers were fatally shot during an alleged exchange of fire with the Namibian Police and Windhoek City Police at Okahandja, police spokesperson deputy commissioner Kauna Shikwambi confirmed.

Khomas police spokesperson warrant officer Silas Shipandeni last week said the police could not share any information about the incident.

“The inspector general [Joseph Shikongo] advised that we should not give out further information until they are done compiling the crime report,” he said.

So far, the police have provided sketchy details of the incident, saying one suspect was still on the run after a failed attempt to rob a gambling house.

Shikwambi said the police are waiting for a full report from the Otjozondjupa regional police commander.

When asked when an official crime report on the matter would be released, Shikwambi said the normal Sunday crime report would be sent out after 14h00 due to the public holiday yesterday. However, the incident was not in the round-up of serious crimes.

Because there is no crime report on the matter, the police have not released the names of the deceased.

However, a family member of one of the five robbery suspects has confirmed his death and that he was part of the group of men shot dead.
The Namibian contacted the family after a death notice for Erikki ‘Akawa’ Martin (29) was posted on social media.
A cousin of Martin, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Martin was among the five men shot at Okahandja on Tuesday night.
“We heard it on the news and we went to the mortuary to confirm. It was him, Erikki ‘Akawa’ Martin,” he said.
He said something was not adding up and the police knew what they were doing.

“The police killed them. How could you follow someone from Windhoek and not warn the police at Okahandja or even at the roadblock, if they knew they were going to rob [a gambling house]?”

NEFF CONDEMNS SHOOTINGS

Meanwhile, Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) leader Epaphras Mukwiilongo last week questioned why the police followed the “young boys” from Windhoek before they arrived at the place they were allegedly going to rob.

“They decided to shoot them and took the lives of these young boys. I don’t know what’s the issue with the Namibian Police and the youth,” he said.
Mukwiilongo said one of the causes of youth getting involved in crime was unemployment.

“Why did they not allow the guys to arrive at the place they were going to rob and catch them red-handed? What if they were not going there, why did they not inform the police at Okahandja instead of taking guns?”

EAR WITNESSES

An Okahandja resident who heard the fatal shots that ended the lives of five robbery suspects on Tuesday after 23h00 said he first heard a tyre burst, and then what sounded like semi-automatic assault rifles being fired.

Another resident, who also heard the gunshots, and also wanted to remain anonymous, said she heard more than 10 shots.

“When I went out of the room to light my cigarette around 23h00, I heard gunshots, they sounded like they were in my yard. First I heard a tyre burst, and I think one of the drivers lost control of the car and it overturned, then I heard gunshots that sounded like AK-47 guns,” recalls one of the residents of Smarties Extension 16 at Okahandja.

He said when he woke up the next morning, he could not see anything as officers were already cleaning the scene.

The incident happened on the Natis road at Okahandja, at the corner of Samuel Maharero Street.

Blood stains and brake marks could be seen at the scene a day after the incident.