Ondangwa murder: Family to bury victim without genitals
• Testicles sent to Windhoek for investigations
Tuyeimo HaidulaONDANGWA
The family of Salom Nikanor (41), who was allegedly murdered and mutilated, says it will proceed with his burial this weekend despite not having all his body parts, as they can no longer afford to keep his body in the mortuary.
The family is also appealing to the public for financial assistance to enable them to bury Nikanor on Saturday.
Nikanor’s body was discovered floating in a water pan near the Oluno Correctional Facility on 4 January.
Family unable to wait for investigations to conclude
Speaking to Namibian Sun in a telephonic interview on Wednesday, the deceased’s cousin, Linda Johannes, said the family of the accused, Andreas Sunday Kanyanga (25), visited their homestead last week, but no assistance has been received so far.
“Maybe they are still coming on board to assist, but since the first day of mourning we have not received anything from them,” Johannes said.
She explained that the family has decided to proceed with the burial, as prolonging the process has caused further emotional distress.
According to Johannes, police informed the family that Nikanor’s testicles were sent to a laboratory in Windhoek as part of ongoing investigations and that it remains unclear when they will be released.
“They told us that once investigations are completed and the remaining body parts are handed over, we can cremate them, since the funeral would already have taken place,” she said.
Johannes added that the family is appealing to members of the public for assistance, either financially or through funeral-related contributions, to ensure Nikanor receives a dignified burial.
Court proceedings and police findings
Kanyanga appeared in the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court last week and was denied bail due to what the court described as the seriousness and brutality of the offence. The matter was postponed to 18 June 2026.
Although the family initially insisted that Nikanor be buried with all his body parts, they said police investigations are taking too long and they are unable to continue waiting.
The head of the Oshana Police Crime Investigation Unit, Fredrik Ndjadila, confirmed that Nikanor’s testicles were removed and later destroyed.
Ndjadila said investigations at the scene pointed to foul play, following the discovery of vehicle tracks and footprints believed to be linked to attempts to conceal evidence.
“A physical examination of the body revealed bloodstains on the deceased’s trousers and the absence of his testicles. Further investigation confirmed that the scrotum had been cut open and the testicles removed,” he said.
Ndjadila further revealed that investigations established that the suspect had allegedly taken out a funeral insurance policy for the deceased, despite not being related to him.
“They are from the same community and grew up together as friends. The motive may be linked to financial issues and alcohol consumption. The testicles were allegedly destroyed at the suspect’s house, together with the blade used during the act,” Ndjadila said.
The family of Salom Nikanor (41), who was allegedly murdered and mutilated, says it will proceed with his burial this weekend despite not having all his body parts, as they can no longer afford to keep his body in the mortuary.
The family is also appealing to the public for financial assistance to enable them to bury Nikanor on Saturday.
Nikanor’s body was discovered floating in a water pan near the Oluno Correctional Facility on 4 January.
Family unable to wait for investigations to conclude
Speaking to Namibian Sun in a telephonic interview on Wednesday, the deceased’s cousin, Linda Johannes, said the family of the accused, Andreas Sunday Kanyanga (25), visited their homestead last week, but no assistance has been received so far.
“Maybe they are still coming on board to assist, but since the first day of mourning we have not received anything from them,” Johannes said.
She explained that the family has decided to proceed with the burial, as prolonging the process has caused further emotional distress.
According to Johannes, police informed the family that Nikanor’s testicles were sent to a laboratory in Windhoek as part of ongoing investigations and that it remains unclear when they will be released.
“They told us that once investigations are completed and the remaining body parts are handed over, we can cremate them, since the funeral would already have taken place,” she said.
Johannes added that the family is appealing to members of the public for assistance, either financially or through funeral-related contributions, to ensure Nikanor receives a dignified burial.
Court proceedings and police findings
Kanyanga appeared in the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court last week and was denied bail due to what the court described as the seriousness and brutality of the offence. The matter was postponed to 18 June 2026.
Although the family initially insisted that Nikanor be buried with all his body parts, they said police investigations are taking too long and they are unable to continue waiting.
The head of the Oshana Police Crime Investigation Unit, Fredrik Ndjadila, confirmed that Nikanor’s testicles were removed and later destroyed.
Ndjadila said investigations at the scene pointed to foul play, following the discovery of vehicle tracks and footprints believed to be linked to attempts to conceal evidence.
“A physical examination of the body revealed bloodstains on the deceased’s trousers and the absence of his testicles. Further investigation confirmed that the scrotum had been cut open and the testicles removed,” he said.
Ndjadila further revealed that investigations established that the suspect had allegedly taken out a funeral insurance policy for the deceased, despite not being related to him.
“They are from the same community and grew up together as friends. The motive may be linked to financial issues and alcohol consumption. The testicles were allegedly destroyed at the suspect’s house, together with the blade used during the act,” Ndjadila said.
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