Teen accused of killing grandparents over witchcraft claim
A teenage boy from Oniihwa B village, Onayena constituency in the Oshikoto region, has been arrested for allegedly killing his grandparents after reportedly accusing them of witchcraft – a tragedy that has left the grieving community reeling.
The victims, Josua Shiimi (87) and Martha Nangombe (68), were reportedly attacked on Monday morning.
Naphtaly Kolokoto Kanandjembo, a cousin of the late Nangombe, claimed the elderly woman had reported threats against her life to the police last Thursday, saying that her grandson, 19, had accused her of witchcraft and threatened to kill her. She had requested transport to the police station to formally lodge a complaint.
“The police are sometimes slow. A quick response could have prevented this tragedy,” Kanandjembo said, seeming frustrated at the delayed intervention.
Gruesome attack
The suspect allegedly killed his grandparents around 09:00. Witnesses reportedly saw him at local cuca shops shortly after 11:00, following the attack. The couple’s young granddaughter, a Grade 2 learner, discovered the bodies when she returned from school and ran to alert neighbours.
Community members apprehended the suspect at the shops, tied him up and brought him back to the house before handing him over to the police.
A visibly shaken Kanandjembo described the scene, saying: “I found them lying in a pool of blood, slashed on the head and face with an axe. The grandfather, who was blind, was also stabbed with a spear.”
Missed protection
Police had reportedly contacted the teenager last week, asking that he surrender after the threats were reported. He did not comply.
“The grandmother had returned again to the police to apply for a protection order, which was to be taken to the magistrate on Monday to come into effect. She was murdered before she could finalise the process,” Kanandjembo said.
The suspect, who dropped out of school in Grade 8, had been living with his grandparents for less than two weeks after being raised by them alongside his two siblings, while their mother sought employment in Windhoek.
Eyewitness account
A 22-year-old housekeeper, who has lived with the family for two months along with her 15-month-old son, narrowly escaped harm.
She said the suspect confronted her after he returned from the field, and she immediately fled, hiding near a palm tree until midday.
“I didn’t get a chance to warn his grandmother,” she said tearfully. “The last time I saw them alive was when I served them tea and bread before leaving for the field. I was too scared to go back.”
She added that the suspect often cooked his own meals, ignored household chores and frequently accused everyone in the home – including the baby – of being witches.
Prior to the attack, he allegedly killed a chicken and removed some of its internal organs, prompting speculation that the killings were premeditated and linked to witchcraft beliefs.
Community mourning
By Tuesday, mourners flocked to the homestead, singing hymns and comforting each other in their inconsolable grief.
Police were at the scene, taking witness statements and collecting forensic evidence from the crime scene.
Oshikoto governor Sacky Kathindi, alongside regional leaders, visited the family on Monday to express condolences and offer support.
The suspect was arrested on Monday and is scheduled to appear in the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court this week.
The victims, Josua Shiimi (87) and Martha Nangombe (68), were reportedly attacked on Monday morning.
Naphtaly Kolokoto Kanandjembo, a cousin of the late Nangombe, claimed the elderly woman had reported threats against her life to the police last Thursday, saying that her grandson, 19, had accused her of witchcraft and threatened to kill her. She had requested transport to the police station to formally lodge a complaint.
“The police are sometimes slow. A quick response could have prevented this tragedy,” Kanandjembo said, seeming frustrated at the delayed intervention.
Gruesome attack
The suspect allegedly killed his grandparents around 09:00. Witnesses reportedly saw him at local cuca shops shortly after 11:00, following the attack. The couple’s young granddaughter, a Grade 2 learner, discovered the bodies when she returned from school and ran to alert neighbours.
Community members apprehended the suspect at the shops, tied him up and brought him back to the house before handing him over to the police.
A visibly shaken Kanandjembo described the scene, saying: “I found them lying in a pool of blood, slashed on the head and face with an axe. The grandfather, who was blind, was also stabbed with a spear.”
Missed protection
Police had reportedly contacted the teenager last week, asking that he surrender after the threats were reported. He did not comply.
“The grandmother had returned again to the police to apply for a protection order, which was to be taken to the magistrate on Monday to come into effect. She was murdered before she could finalise the process,” Kanandjembo said.
The suspect, who dropped out of school in Grade 8, had been living with his grandparents for less than two weeks after being raised by them alongside his two siblings, while their mother sought employment in Windhoek.
Eyewitness account
A 22-year-old housekeeper, who has lived with the family for two months along with her 15-month-old son, narrowly escaped harm.
She said the suspect confronted her after he returned from the field, and she immediately fled, hiding near a palm tree until midday.
“I didn’t get a chance to warn his grandmother,” she said tearfully. “The last time I saw them alive was when I served them tea and bread before leaving for the field. I was too scared to go back.”
She added that the suspect often cooked his own meals, ignored household chores and frequently accused everyone in the home – including the baby – of being witches.
Prior to the attack, he allegedly killed a chicken and removed some of its internal organs, prompting speculation that the killings were premeditated and linked to witchcraft beliefs.
Community mourning
By Tuesday, mourners flocked to the homestead, singing hymns and comforting each other in their inconsolable grief.
Police were at the scene, taking witness statements and collecting forensic evidence from the crime scene.
Oshikoto governor Sacky Kathindi, alongside regional leaders, visited the family on Monday to express condolences and offer support.
The suspect was arrested on Monday and is scheduled to appear in the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court this week.
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