Niël Terblanché
The Namibian Police (NamPol) has revealed that a video, widely circulated on social media, depicting the assault of an inmate in the holding cells of the Okahandja Police Station, was an elaborate act intended to extort money from the family of one of the detainees.
Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, head of NamPol’s Public Relations Division, described the incident as “an orchestrated act to solicit money,” following a thorough investigation.
According to Shikwambi, the video in question showed a young man appearing to be assaulted by fellow detainees in one of the police station holding cells on 4 December.
“The victim, who was said to have been assaulted, was taken to the hospital for a medical examination, and it was established by the doctor that there were no visible external or internal injuries,” she said.
According to Shikwambi, further questioning of the purported victim revealed that the inmates had devised the scheme to record the video and send it to the family of a detainee, demanding money for his safety.
“The detainee at the centre of the extortion plot, identified as David Kenaihe, is being held in connection with the death of Mauritius Tjivinda, who succumbed to injuries sustained during an altercation at a bar in Nau-Aib,” she said.
According to Shikwambi, Tjivinda was struck on the head with a glass bottle on 30 November 2024 and passed away on 2 December 2024.
“Kenaihe was initially charged with attempted murder, which has since been upgraded to murder,” she said.
Inmates in the same facility reportedly obtained information about Kenaihe’s case and concocted the scheme to extort N$1 000 from his family.
According to Shikwambi, the message to the family claimed that the payment would guarantee Kenaihe’s safety within the holding cell.
“This was a deliberate act by the inmates to deceive the family and solicit money under false pretences,” she stated.
She also confirmed that the video was sent to the family as part of the extortion plan.
According to Shikwambi, NamPol has launched an investigation into the incident, which includes probing how a mobile phone was smuggled into the holding cells to facilitate the recording and distribution of the video.
“The Namibian Police will hold those involved accountable, both for the extortion and for the smuggling of contraband into the cells,” Shikwambi declared.
Shikwambi stressed the importance of transparency in addressing such incidents, urging the public to approach viral content with caution and rely on verified information.
“The alleged assault victim is alive and did not sustain any injury as indicated in the video,” she said.
She reiterated that NamPol is committed to safeguarding the rights and safety of all individuals in custody while ensuring that acts of deception and criminality within detention facilities are thoroughly addressed.
