Weekend accidents claim 9 lives

THE country’s national roads proved fatal for nine people this past weekend, Police reported yesterday.

The biggest loss of life in a single accident occurred about 30 kilometres from Otjiwarongo on the road to Otavi, when a Toyota Quantam minibus collided with a Scania truck late on Friday night. Six people, all travelling in the minibus, died on the scene.Two of the deceased have so far been identified.They are Lepidus Maketo (27) and Lumba Simataa.Police are appealing to the public to assist them in identifying the four remaining victims.The registration number of the minibus was given as N9516SH.The public can either contact Detective Marais at 067-300613, or the nearest Police station.* In another incident, 25-year-old Jan Oracio is reported to have died about 25 km from Arandis on the way to Usakos on Saturday.He was apparently driving a Land Rover carrying three passengers who survived the accident but sustained injuries when the vehicle is said to have overturned.* Police also reported an accident at Omega in Caprivi Region on Sunday afternoon.A truck is said to have overturned, killing the 29-year-old Angolan driver.Police say he had been alone in the truck.His name will not be released until his next of kin are informed.* A 37-year-old cyclist was killed in a hit-and-run accident, about 84 km from Outjo on the main road to Khorixas at about 20h00 on Saturday.Police are also investigating a case of culpable homicide.* Police in the Karas Region are investigating a case of murder at Groverand, Tses, where a 42-year-old man was stabbed to death on Saturday.A 22-year-old suspect has been taken into custody.* A marital quarrel at Onantulo village in the Omuthiya area led to a woman (47) being admitted to the Onandjokwe Hospital in a critical condition on Friday.She had been stabbed in the left side of her neck.A 52-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the stabbing, which police are investigating.* Windhoek Police are investigating an armed robbery after a man, age unknown, was threatened with a firearm and robbed of a Nokia cellphone, a jacket, sunglasses, a cap and N$200 near the Independence Stadium on Friday night.Six people, all travelling in the minibus, died on the scene.Two of the deceased have so far been identified.They are Lepidus Maketo (27) and Lumba Simataa.Police are appealing to the public to assist them in identifying the four remaining victims.The registration number of the minibus was given as N9516SH.The public can either contact Detective Marais at 067-300613, or the nearest Police station.* In another incident, 25-year-old Jan Oracio is reported to have died about 25 km from Arandis on the way to Usakos on Saturday.He was apparently driving a Land Rover carrying three passengers who survived the accident but sustained injuries when the vehicle is said to have overturned.* Police also reported an accident at Omega in Caprivi Region on Sunday afternoon.A truck is said to have overturned, killing the 29-year-old Angolan driver.Police say he had been alone in the truck.His name will not be released until his next of kin are informed.* A 37-year-old cyclist was killed in a hit-and-run accident, about 84 km from Outjo on the main road to Khorixas at about 20h00 on Saturday.Police are also investigating a case of culpable homicide.* Police in the Karas Region are investigating a case of murder at Groverand, Tses, where a 42-year-old man was stabbed to death on Saturday.A 22-year-old suspect has been taken into custody.* A marital quarrel at Onantulo village in the Omuthiya area led to a woman (47) being admitted to the Onandjokwe Hospital in a critical condition on Friday.She had been stabbed in the left side of her neck.A 52-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the stabbing, which police are investigating.* Windhoek Police are investigating an armed robbery after a man, age unknown, was threatened with a firearm and robbed of a Nokia cellphone, a jacket, sunglasses, a cap and N$200 near the Independence Stadium on Friday night.