Tunakie in assault drama

LOCAL music diva Tunakie (Maria Tuna-Omukwathi Uushona) has laid criminal charges against a man she now refers to as ‘former boyfriend’, Chris Banda, after a physical altercation between the two on Friday night.

The popular traditional singer, through a statement issued by her management team VEEM (Valentina Events and Entertainment Management), charged that Banda had attempted to murder her after grabbing and removing her from a party in Windhoek’s Wanaheda area.According to Tunakie, she had been socialising at a friend’s party when she was ‘snatched away’ by Banda.It is alleged that Banda drove her to an area outside of town, where Tunakie claims he apparently searched for a bush where he could kill her.’She managed to escape and ran for her life, and ended up at a shebeen where they were able to call the Police,’ the statement reads.Banda was arrested on the same night, and made his first court appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Katutura on Tuesday morning.Police yesterday confirmed Banda’s arrest, adding that he had been charged on two counts: assault by threat and common assault.’The incident apparently happened at around 21h00, and the suspect was charged with allegedly beating the complainant with open hands and threatening to kill her,’ Warrant Officer Stephan Nuuyi of the Police’s public relations department said yesterday.He said, however, that no charge of attempted murder, as was alleged by the singer, is being investigated.Efforts to reach Banda yesterday were not successful.According to Tunakie’s management team, Banda was still in a Police holding cell yesterday after being denied bail on Tuesday morning.The statement said Tunakie is currently finishing her fourth album, and given this experience, ‘would seek to speak out against violence against women’.’She is strong and a survivor and is not ashamed of her abusive experience because her experience will help her to better reach out to women in the same shoes, and she will be able to better minister to them knowing very well what they are going through,’ the agency stated.’No man has the right to lay his hands on a woman. No matter what she has done or hasn’t done or what he did for her or hasn’t done. Men who hit women are cowards and should find someone their own size to pick on,’ Tunakie’s statement concludes. – denver@namibian.com.na