Renthia Kaimbi
Okahandja community members are questioning why police did not detect the alleged conduct of murder suspect Muundjua Karinambande earlier after he was accused of cutting cables connected to CCTV cameras installed at K W von Maree Combined School in September 2025.
Various community members told the Windhoek Observer that the school discovered Karinambande was allegedly responsible for damaging the cables of CCTV cameras donated following the double murders of Ingrid Maasdorp and Roswinds Fabianu. The incident reportedly led to his suspension from the school.
“A criminal case was opened against him and two others. He was suspended in September last year and never returned to school,” an anonymous source told the Windhoek Observer.
Sources said a local betting company donated CCTV equipment valued at more than N$20 000 in May 2025, but the equipment was allegedly vandalised four months later.
They questioned why the incident did not result in a police report, arguing that an investigation at the time could have provided an earlier warning about the suspect’s alleged conduct.
The allegations have resurfaced following Karinambande’s arrest in connection with the attempted rape of a 10-year-old girl in Okahandja on Saturday.
He subsequently appeared in court facing seven charges, including murder, rape, kidnapping and violating a body on Wednesday.
Karinambande has allegedly confessed to kidnapping, raping and murdering Maasdorp and Fabianu, whose bodies were discovered near Veddersdal after they disappeared from their classrooms at the school.
The Windhoek Observer independently verified the allegations surrounding the damaged CCTV equipment.
“We donated and launched deterrents worth over N$20 000 to the school. The cameras were installed by a local security service provider, however, we learned afterwards that cables had been cut and the cameras were no longer working,” a representative of the sponsor said.
Meanwhile, the two security guards who apprehended Karinambande before he could allegedly sexually assault the 10-year-old girl are expected to receive rewards as Okahandja’s business community rallies behind them.
According to information received by the Windhoek Observer, businesspeople had pledged close to N$165 000 by Wednesday afternoon to reward the guards for their intervention.
The guards reportedly responded after one of two girls walking from a plot towards Nau-Aib escaped and alerted them that the other girl had been ambushed.
Karinambande allegedly grabbed the 10-year-old, produced a knife and threatened her before attempting to undress her. The security guards responded to the alarm and apprehended him, preventing the alleged attack from progressing further.
Their intervention led to Karinambande’s arrest and renewed attention to the murder cases that have haunted Okahandja.
Community activist Johannes /Gaseb has called on the Okahandja municipality to reward the guards by allocating land to them, saying their intervention brought relief to residents who had been living with the fear and uncertainty surrounding the killings.
“I can confirm that the business community has made some pledges but they remain pledges for now. But I want to call on the municipality to allocate land to those two security guards whose efforts brought closure, not only to the families of these victims but to the entire community of Okahandja,” he told the Windhoek Observer.
Karinambande remains in custody, with his case postponed to 2 March 2027 to allow for further investigations and legal aid arrangements.
The State has opposed bail, citing the seriousness of the alleged offences and concerns that he could reoffend. Prosecutors have also indicated that they intend to add a charge of obstructing or defeating the course of justice.
Karinambande was 16 years old when he allegedly committed the offences and is expected to undergo screening as part of the investigation.
He will be detained at Seeis Police Station as the case proceeds.
