Eba Kandovazu
A TOP ranking employee at the Roads Authority has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, despite the fact that four people were seriously injured after he allegedly ran them over, one after another at a local shopping complex in Windhoek’s Dorado Valley last Sunday.
“There was blood everywhere. It is the scariest thing I have ever seen. Three people, and a woman who works at a salon where the incident happened were just going about their business, when a Range Rover Discovery from nowhere rammed into them. The woman could possibly lose her leg. Her flesh was scattered all over the floor. I was in total shock. My little brother was also run over,” an eyewitnesses told the Windhoek Observer.
Friends and family members of the victims, who are battling for their lives in different Windhoek hospitals, are claiming that the suspect, Sakaria Johannes, is being treated with kid gloves by police officers. Johannes briefly appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court, where he indicated that he would be applying for legal aid. By Monday, Johannes was already spotted at various bars around Windhoek, it is alleged.
It is also alleged that Johannes, shortly after the incident, called a police officer, identified only as Kalefa, who is a friend of his. Together, according to witnesses, they took off to the police station. No breatherlyzer was used at the scene, according to witnesses. Kalefa’s phone went unanswered when contacted for comment.
“Mind you, no witnesses were told to give their statements by this police officer. It was City Police officials who later came to take our witness statements. No mention was made in court about the victims. The court was not made aware that people were seriously injured by this man. They are simply keeping it under the wraps. We suspect that the suspect drove from a neighboring bar,” a witness says.
According to court documents, Johannes was granted N$8000 bail at the police station on the basis of the drunken driving charge. He has not stepped a day in jail. Magistrate Linus Samunzala has, in the meantime postponed the matter to next February. Sylvia Kauluma represents the State.
