Allexer Namundjembo
A petition calling for justice for five-year-old Ingrid Maasdorp, who was raped and murdered in Okahandja last month, has reignited public anger over unresolved child murder cases in Namibia.
The petition, launched by youth activist Kashivi Shingungu, has attracted over 4 000 signatures, reflecting growing frustration with what many see as a systemic failure by law enforcement to protect children and pursue justice in cases involving violence against minors.
Maasdorp’s body was found under a bridge after she was reported missing in the early morning hours of Thursday, 22 March, and was discovered on Friday of the same week under a bridge near the Veddersdal area.
She was last seen alive at K.W. Von Marees Combined School in Okahandja.
“How many more children must we lose before something changes?” questions Shingungu.
The activist is also calling for authorities to strengthen investigative procedures, improve forensic capabilities, enforce stricter sentencing, and bolster child protection mechanisms.
The police last week said a post-mortem confirmed that Maasdorp had been raped and strangled before her body was dumped under the bridge.
The police opened a case of murder and defeating the course of justice.
Commissioner Theophilus Mayumbelo, head of the Namibian Police’s Criminal Investigation Directorate, recently admitted that little progress has been made in solving several high-profile cases involving murdered or missing children.
Several other child murder cases remain unresolved.
These include the 2010 rape and murder of high school student Magdalena Stoffels in Khomasdal, the 2018 killing of nine-year-old Avihe Cheryl Ujaha in Windhoek, the 2020 disappearance of Mandela “Spence” Nakale in Lüderitz, and the 2022 killing of Oswyn Myne Seibeb in Karibib.
While Commissioner Mayumbelo indicated that efforts are underway to re-establish a dedicated unit to revisit these cases, many Namibians remain sceptical.
The National African Students Association (NASA) – Khomas has added its voice to the calls for justice.
In a statement, NASA described Maasdorp’s case as a failure of the system.
“Ingrid was just five. She was just a baby. Her death is not only a tragedy—it is a loud and painful reminder of the continuous and systemic failure of our institutions to protect the most vulnerable members of our society,” said the association.
The student group criticised the silence from authorities and the absence of clear communication with the public, describing the inaction as “deafening” and “unacceptable”.
They stressed that Ingrid’s death is not an isolated case but part of a larger national crisis in child safety and justice.
NASA’s Gender Officer, Patricia Dindungo, called for a Justice March in Ingrid’s name and said the focus must shift beyond one case.
“We will not be silent. We will not stop until justice is served. This is no longer about one child; it is about every child who has been failed, forgotten, and ignored,” said Dindungo.
