Staff Reporter
THE editorial manager of a daily newspaper accused of beating up a female radio presenter has claimed that he acted in self-defense, as he was approached with knives by the female radio presenter, who has opened a case of assault against him.
Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, spokesperson of the Namibian police, has in the meantime, denied claims by the victim who said that the suspect had been arrested yesterday and added that the investigation is underway and once all the information is obtained the docket will be forwarded to the Control Prosecutor for decision. “At this moment there are no elements which justify an arrest. Should there be elements, the suspect may be summoned to appear before court. This is a common assault case,” Shikwambi said.
In a police statement seen by the Informanté, the editorial manager at the daily newspaper has however brought to light his side of the story, and added that he did not wish to continue his “friendship” with the presenter who claims to have had a romantic relationship with him.
“Myself and the female presenter who lives in Otjomuise have been involved in various altercations as outlined below. I also have to state she laid a case against me which was reported by various media. I reserve my rights to take further action against the presenter with regards to this false allegation. My friendship/on and off relations with the presenter started to sour on 8 March 2024. This was a Friday evening at around 19:00. I surprised her at her home and she was not there, when I asked her where she was, she texted me and said she was with her friend called Gracia. It later emerged that she and Gracia were in the company of drug dealers/users. She told me this after I picked her up at a flat complex that is down the road from her house. During the conversation in the car, I said to her that I don’t want to be in the company of someone who sits with drug dealers and drug users and added that I want to stop any further contact with her,” the editor said.
He added that an argument ensued after this, and that the presenter accused him of assaulting her, adding that she on various occasions mentioned that a man accused of gender-based violence would be found guilty in public whether he was guilty or not. The editorial manager also added that the presenter blamed him for tensions rising between herself and her mother.
“Last week the presenter came to my home and started complaining about her mother saying that I was the one who was asking Adonis to get information from her mother on vehicles that the IPC are using during this year’s elections. When her mother called she put her phone on speaker so that I could hear the conversation and the tension between her and her mother. Her mother is a prominent member of the IPC,” he added.
He added that on another occasion on 1 April he met up with the presenter at a local restaurant and camping place, whereby she said that her mother threatened to evict her and that he should provide security to her as she could not afford her own place. “Later in the afternoon I wanted to take her home but she did not want to go then, she wanted to go to my place so we can talk. Everything was fine until around 20:00 when the issue of the drug dealers once came up again. I again said I think it’s better that she leaves; she also at that stage refused to leave and we became involved in a verbal argument. She then said this time she will stab me. She went inside the flats and took my car key which I later found pushed in the sand of a pot plant. She then threw my passport in water and threw my wallet. I then threw her bag in the driveway and threw her wallet over the neighbour’s fence. But soon after this happened I went to go fetch the wallet myself. When I came back from the neighbour’s house, the presenter was standing at the door of my flat with a large knife in her hand. I wrestled her onto my bed and I believe my elbow knocked into her face and her braids were also damaged when pressed against the bed. I let her go and said she must leave but she refused. She then accused me of beating her and said she will call someone to arrest me. She called city police and then the officers arrived,” the editorial manager said.
