Family of State House intruder questions hospital security

The family of 29-year-old Giano Seibeb, who was found naked inside State House in Windhoek last weekend, has raised serious concerns about security at the Windhoek Central Hospital's mental health care facility.

Giano, a father of two young children aged six and three, had reportedly escaped repeatedly from the mental health facility in the weeks leading up to the incident.

His cousin, Melani Seibes, said the family had been searching for him for weeks before he surfaced at the presidential residence in Auasblick.

“To be honest, I’m very much heartbroken because we have been searching for him since the 5th of April,” she told Namibian Sun yesterday.

She described a pattern of repeated escapes from the facility.

“He ran from the mental hospital, then came home, and from there they took him back again. On the same day, he’s just running again. We don’t even know how the person is escaping from the mental health hospital,” she said.

“It’s not [just] three or four times that he was taken back. It’s a lot,” Melani said.

Search and police response

The family said they reported Giano's disappearance from the mental health facility to the police, but no action was taken.

“My aunt went to the police station to file a missing person’s report, but they did not do anything. They told her to bring a picture, and even after she did that, nothing happened. They did not post anything on their platforms,” Melani said.

Giano’s mother, Katharina Seibes, then filed a missing person’s report at the Otjomuise police station on 24 April.

Otjomuise police confirmed yesterday that a missing person report had been filed but was never circulated.

“I have also been searching a lot, but nothing. So we decided to make our own poster,” Melani said.

Melani said the family does not know how Seibeb managed to escape so frequently. "We also want to see footage of how he entered and everything that allegedly happened,” Melani said.

Health ministry spokesperson Walters Kamaya acknowledged ongoing challenges at the facility in an interview with Namibian Sun.

“When there is a security challenge, we raise it with the Ministry of Works and ask them to look into it. There have been improvements lately, and we have engaged maintenance teams,” Kamaya said.

Deteriorating condition

According to the family, Giano’s mental health had worsened significantly in recent months.

“He was just talking the whole night. He could not even sleep,” Melani said, adding that Giano's condition at times left him unable to speak.

“Even his voice used to be gone. He was trying to speak, but nothing was coming out,” Melani said.

She also said Giano's struggles dated back several years, but the family said they were never given a clear diagnosis.

“When we took him to the hospital, they just gave him pills to relax his brain,” Melani said.

After relocating to Windhoek late last year, Giano stayed with relatives before being admitted to the mental health facility between March and April.

Court appearance

Giano appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, where he indicated his intention to plead guilty to trespassing, housebreaking with intent to commit an offence, and contravening Section 7 of the Immoral Practices Act.

State prosecutor Menencia Hinda requested a postponement to 22 June for a psychiatric evaluation to determine whether he is fit to stand trial.

Prosecutor Reinhardt Kamatoto told the court that Giano’s medical passport indicates a history of schizophrenia.

The State further applied for his continued detention at the Windhoek Correctional Facility.