Alleged ‘drunk’ knife-wielding worker missed work for days

The manager of Chinese-owned packaging factory Lictech Investment, Peter Lin, says a Namibian employee seen brandishing a knife in a viral video had not reported for work in three days and appeared intoxicated when he arrived at the premises late Monday afternoon demanding an advance on his salary.The employee, identified as Andreas Shikomba, had been with the company for only six months. According to Lin, Shikomba allegedly became aggressive after being denied a N$100 salary advance because of a history of repeated borrowing and poor attendance.“He borrowed money before, many times. When I told him no this time, he got angry and tried to fight me,” Lin told Namibian Sun. The confrontation reportedly began when Shikomba confronted Xin, the manager’s son and acting factory manager, before escalating into violence.Shikomba allegedly pulled out a knife and punched Peter Lin in the face, an act partially captured in the viral footage. Lin said Shikomba then injured another employee with the knife. In what Lin described as an alleged act of self-defence, three Chinese co-workers retaliated using unidentified objects, eventually subduing and beating Shikomba unconscious.“He kept saying, ‘Give me my money, give me my money.’ When we refused, he started attacking. He didn’t want to listen. You could see he wanted to hurt someone,” Lin said.The situation quickly descended into chaos, with workers scrambling to disarm Shikomba. One Chinese employee reportedly sustained injuries to his hand and face before the knife was seized.After regaining consciousness, Shikomba reportedly fled to a nearby fuel station, where police were alerted.He was taken to Katutura Intermediate Hospital and later transferred to Windhoek Central Hospital. However, he reportedly discharged himself without notifying medical staff or the authorities and has not returned to work since.“I don’t know where he is now. He should have reported back to work, but he hasn’t shown up,” Lin said.Photos viewed by this newspaper show injuries on Lin’s face and hands. Lin confirmed that a criminal case has been opened and police investigations are ongoing. While no formal decision on Shikomba’s employment status has been taken, Lin indicated that the company is looking to resolve the matter through appropriate channels.Witness speaksA co-worker who witnessed the incident described Shikomba as desperate and said he appeared heavily intoxicated. “I don’t know what triggered him to ask for money so desperately. Maybe he just wanted to go drink again. He was really drunk. He kept saying, ‘At least they must just give me N$100 so I can go back.’ We were even eating bread together before he suddenly snapped,” the witness told Namibian Sun.He added that while Shikomba occasionally had arguments at work, this level of violence was unprecedented. “Usually, if you need help, you ask and they deduct from your salary. But this time, he came demanding it. Pulling a knife and stabbing someone? Never. I think wherever he was drinking, he just had too much.”‘Trend of misinformation’In a statement issued on Monday, Peter Lin dismissed claims made by activist Michael Amushelelo that the incident was the result of unpaid wages. “Shikomba has been employed with Lictech Investment CC for several months, earning a monthly salary of approximately N$3 500, with all payments made on time. In fact, he had already taken multiple salary advances before the incident,” Lin wrote.“It is troubling to see an emerging trend of misinformation aimed at stoking anti-Chinese sentiment in Namibia. We urge the public not to rush to judgement based on one-sided narratives. It is vital to uphold fairness, integrity and respect for all individuals, regardless of nationality,” he added. “Spreading falsehoods only threatens the harmony we work so hard to build.”Lin reaffirmed Lictech Investment’s commitment to maintaining a safe and respectful work environment for all employees.Efforts to contact Shikomba for comment were unsuccessful, as his cellphone remains unreachable.– nikanor@nmh-hub.com.na

Alleged ‘drunk’ knife-wielding worker missed work for days

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-01

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Alleged ‘drunk’ knife-wielding worker missed work for days

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-01

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