The family and fiancée of slain bouncer David Mbinda (39), popularly known as ‘The Lion’, is trying to come to terms with the sudden loss of a father, partner and provider.
Mbinda, who died on Saturday after he was shot during an altercation at a bar at Wanaheda in Windhoek on Friday, was preparing to get married later this year.
The police say the shooting followed a quarrel over an entrance fee of N$30, which the accused, Asser Nendongo (30), allegedly refused to pay.
Mbinda worked as a bouncer over weekends and as a bricklayer during the week.
His aunt, Tuyakula Matheus, who has shared a house with Mbinda, yesterday described the moments leading up to the news of his death.
“It was around 07h00 when we received a call saying David was injured and hospitalised,” she said.
“I decided to drive to Windhoek because I live at Walvis Bay with his eldest daughter. But just as we arrived at Okahandja, we got another call telling us that David had died.”
Matheus said the family is shattered.
“This was our breadwinner. He leaves behind his three children and his fiancée. He was going to get married this year,” she said.
Mbinda’s fiancée, who asked to remain anonymous because she feels unsafe, yesterday confirmed that the couple was planning to get married this year.
“This is just too painful,” she said.
“I’m not in a state to even talk properly. What happened has caused big damage to our lives and to everything we were building together.”
Family members said Mbinda was deeply committed to his children and worked to support them.
“He was a father before anything else, everything he did was for his children and his family. Now they have lost that support,” Matheus said.
The family also expressed distress over videos on the incident circulating on social media, as well as the comments on them.
“Seeing the videos and what people are saying is painful, but for us, this is not about arguments online. This is about a man who went to work and never came home,” she said.
The family says Mbinda was only doing his job on the night of the incident.
“He was working. He was doing what he was supposed to do. This started over N$30. That is what hurts the most, that a life was lost over something so small,” Matheus said.
The police have confirmed that Nendongo appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Katutura on a charge of murder in connection with Mbinda’s death yesterday.
A firearm was confiscated from Nendongo after his arrest, and police investigations into the incident are continuing.
The matter was postponed to 18 March for a formal bail application, and was further postponed to 21 May for further investigations.
In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
