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LANDLESS People’s Movement (LPM) spokesperson Eneas Emvula has refused to register a police case, despite saying he is still recovering after he was hit with a brick on the head and stabbed in the stomach.
He says this is because he did not recognise the suspects who assaulted him at Gobabis. He also claims he has no confidence in the police after the assault case laid by LPM’s Windhoek mayor Sade Gawanas in June went cold.
“I was a witness when this incident took place and up to now, we have not received any indication regarding the investigations,” Emvula says.
Gawanas had pressed charges against police officers following her arrest at Okahandja Park. The mayor was allegedly unlawfully arrested and assaulted.
However, police spokesperson deputy commissioner Kauna Shikwambi says they are mandated to serve and protect Namibians, regardless of their political affiliation.
Referring to the mayor’s case, Shikwambi says: “One should note that when you are not hearing anything about the progress of a particular case in the media, you should not assume that nothing has been done,” she said, adding that investigations are always taking place in the background and individuals have the right to engage the investigation officer on progress.
Shikwambi also suggests that Emvula should register an assault case after his alleged assault on 2 October and “allow the process to take its cause rather than leaving it to assumptions”.
Emvula says he was “ambushed” between Nossobville and the central business district at about 21h00 while at Gobabis attending to party issues.
He says he was attacked from behind and was left unconscious and hospitalised following the assault.
“Apart from the bruise on my face, I also sustained a cut to the lower abdomen, but medical X-rays confirmed that while it is a deep cut there was no internal bleeding.”
He describes the attack as a random case of lawlessness, and not a politically charged assault.
“Such cases are propelled by the difficulties that many young people face in their immediate communities. Gobabis has been known to have a high crime rate,” he says.
“For those who do not know, about 90% of the street kids in Windhoek are from the Omaheke region, Gobabis in particular,” Emvula says, adding that if these children are not given hope, every Namibian is in danger.
He also claims he only received adequate medical assistance when he returned to Windhoek.
Shikwambi says the police have ongoing community engagement programmes where they provide education and advice to the public as well as pupils.
“We will continue with our operations to ensure that members of the public are safe and criminality is suppressed in our country,” Shikwambi says.
“No police force will succeed without the cooperation from the public they are serving and our successes are testimony to the trust that exists between the police and the communities,” Shikwambi says.
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