Staff Reporter
THE murder and rape case of Ingrid Maasdorp (5), who was abducted from her school, is still ongoing, with police still awaiting forensic results of swabs taken from four possible persons of interest, while nine witness statements have been obtained in the matter.
This was revealed by the Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, Lucia Iipumbu, who answered burning questions on the death of Maasdorp. Maasdorp’s case is linked to a spate of killings in Okahandja, with another minor, Roswinds Fabianu, murdered and raped a month later on 24 April, after never returning from school upon being dropped off, while another minor, Beyoncé !Kharuxas, aged 15, was also raped and murdered the following day, on 25 April.
While the Namibian President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, declared a curfew in the small town and ordered an increase in police presence, the killer/s still remain elusive and not apprehended.
Giving an update on the case of Maasdorp, Iipumbu said that following the discovery of the remains of Maasdorp, the police conducted an autopsy examination, and the post-mortem results revealed that the child was murdered (strangled) and raped.
“Swabs were taken from four possible persons of interest based on the investigations carried out thus far, and these were forwarded to the Namibian Police Forensic Science Institute with all the exhibits. The DNA results are still outstanding from the lab. Thus far, nine witness statements have been obtained and are filed in the docket. Investigations are continuing in the matter under the guidance of the Head of the Crime Investigations Division in the Otjozondjupa Region,” Iipumbu said.
The Minister of Safety and Security further said that an eyewitness testimony by a minor boy, who said he saw Maasdorp being picked up that morning by a tall, light-skinned woman wearing a bonnet, will not be dismissed based on the fact that such testimony was given by a minor.
“In Namibia, obtaining child witnesses’ testimony for court proceedings involves ensuring the child’s well-being and ability to give intelligible testimony. Under the guidance of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 (Act 51 of 1977), and the Child Care and Protection Act, 2015 (Act 3 of 2015), a child is regarded as a vulnerable witness; thus, due care and diligence are always exercised when dealing with such witnesses. In the present case, the child witness was interviewed in the presence of the guardian (grandmother); the child was not shying away and indeed gave intelligible testimony,” Iipumbu said.
She concluded that the Namibian Police Force, in collaboration with other stakeholders, normally conducts awareness campaigns (in the form of school visits) covering topics related to child abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, avoiding communication with strangers, avoiding walking alone, and avoiding crime-prone areas (riverbeds, bushes, road paths, late at night, etc.).
Further to the above, the Ministry of Safety and Security, in collaboration with the Ministry of Basic Education, Arts and Culture, developed a comprehensive National Safe School Framework, which is used by Life Skills teachers to provide safety tips to school-going children.
MINOR KILLINGS: The late Ingrid Maasdorp. Photo: File
