Hertta-Maria Amutenja
The mayor of Karib has condemned gender-based violence (GBV) following a tragic incident in which a man murdered his girlfriend and her two children before taking his own life by setting fire to their home early on Sunday morning.
According to Davey van Wyk, the nation should denounce domestic violence with the greatest hatred.
“We don’t condone GBV at all, and it is regrettably sad that this incident happened. We urge men to stand up and own up rather than resorting to GBV,” van Wyk stated.
He added that the recent allocation of space for a new police station is part of efforts to bring police services closer to the people.
“Our police station is in town, but to address GBV, we are trying to bring the police closer to the people. In that regard, we have recently allocated space for the Namibian police to set up a station,” he said.
Van Wyk also announced a planned prayer session on Wednesday and stated that the council would assist the family with funeral arrangements.
Chief Inspector Illeni Shapumba, the police spokesperson, detailed the events leading up to the tragedy.
According to Shapumba, on Saturday, the victim, Josephine Nauses, 23, reported her boyfriend, Mandela Afrikaner Mbaunguraiye, 25, to the police with a domestic-related complaint, requesting his removal from the ghetto where they lived.
“The matter was attended to by the police, and it was resolved that he remove his belongings, which he kept at a ghetto belonging to his victim’s sister. After the warning, he promised not to return to the ghetto,” Shapumba said.
However, Mbaunguraiye returned at about 05:00 on Sunday morning and was convinced to leave by Nauses’ sister. An hour later, at 06:00, he returned, breaking into the house.
“The deceased allegedly called her sister again and informed her that he had broken into the house and was inside her ghetto,” Shapumba reported. The sister rushed to the scene, finding the ghetto ablaze. Inside, the two children were screaming on the bed, while Mbaunguraiye was holding Nauses, preventing her from escaping the fire.
It is suspected that Mbaunguraiye set the ghetto alight, resulting in the deaths of Josephine Nauses and her daughters, Regina Nauses, 7, and Loide Nauses, 3, as well as his own. The next of kin have been informed.
