A community's outrage
Bail has been denied to a woman accused of murdering and mutilating her son at Ondangwa as public sentiment reached fever pitch yesterday.
The Ondangwa Magistrate's Court was packed to the rafters yesterday for the first appearance of a 31-year-old woman who is accused of killing her 10-year-old son and mutilating his body.
Kristofina Ngesheya is charged with murder, violating a human body, and defeating the course of justice.
She allegedly killed her son, Erickson Malulu, by slitting his throat and removing his penis and testicles. Malulu's body was found near the new military base at Ondangwa on Thursday.
The incident has sent shockwaves across the country, and there has been an outpouring of grief and condemnation on social media.
Angry community members staged a demonstration outside the courthouse yesterday, with learners from Oluno Primary School joining the protest.
The marchers demanded that no bail be granted.
“How can you do this to your own child, a child you gave birth to and raised for 10 years?” was the remark of one of the community members.
“No bail must be granted as we do not want people who have the guts to take the life of their own children.”
Magistrate Ninja Hochobes denied Ngesheya bail because of the seriousness of the matter. The case was postponed to 14 December 2017 for her to apply for legal aid.
Ngesheya was arrested on Thursday when she took the body parts of her son, wrapped in a plastic bag and placed in her handbag, to the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God in Ondangwa.
Church responds
The church has condemned the incident and slammed yesterday's report in Namibian Sun, saying it painted the church in an extremely negative light.
The newspaper did not mention the name of the church in its report yesterday.
The church said they became aware of the incident on Thursday when Ngesheya arrived at the church and confessed to a pastor that she had murdered her child in a moment of anger.
“The church leadership and its members are always extremely distressed to hear of any incident of violence and abuse. In this case, it is commendable that the woman realised she needed help and voluntarily came to the church to speak to a pastor,” the statement read.
“Under normal circumstances, the content of confession is held in the strictest confidence, but in cases where a crime has been committed and in particular a child may be in danger, the church has a legal responsibility to take action for the protection of a minor.
“The allegations made by those who have commented that the church is satanic, a wicked church which practises witchcraft, are completely incorrect and without factual foundation. The leadership of the church refutes this defamatory association in the strongest possible terms.”
KENYA KAMBOWE
Kristofina Ngesheya is charged with murder, violating a human body, and defeating the course of justice.
She allegedly killed her son, Erickson Malulu, by slitting his throat and removing his penis and testicles. Malulu's body was found near the new military base at Ondangwa on Thursday.
The incident has sent shockwaves across the country, and there has been an outpouring of grief and condemnation on social media.
Angry community members staged a demonstration outside the courthouse yesterday, with learners from Oluno Primary School joining the protest.
The marchers demanded that no bail be granted.
“How can you do this to your own child, a child you gave birth to and raised for 10 years?” was the remark of one of the community members.
“No bail must be granted as we do not want people who have the guts to take the life of their own children.”
Magistrate Ninja Hochobes denied Ngesheya bail because of the seriousness of the matter. The case was postponed to 14 December 2017 for her to apply for legal aid.
Ngesheya was arrested on Thursday when she took the body parts of her son, wrapped in a plastic bag and placed in her handbag, to the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God in Ondangwa.
Church responds
The church has condemned the incident and slammed yesterday's report in Namibian Sun, saying it painted the church in an extremely negative light.
The newspaper did not mention the name of the church in its report yesterday.
The church said they became aware of the incident on Thursday when Ngesheya arrived at the church and confessed to a pastor that she had murdered her child in a moment of anger.
“The church leadership and its members are always extremely distressed to hear of any incident of violence and abuse. In this case, it is commendable that the woman realised she needed help and voluntarily came to the church to speak to a pastor,” the statement read.
“Under normal circumstances, the content of confession is held in the strictest confidence, but in cases where a crime has been committed and in particular a child may be in danger, the church has a legal responsibility to take action for the protection of a minor.
“The allegations made by those who have commented that the church is satanic, a wicked church which practises witchcraft, are completely incorrect and without factual foundation. The leadership of the church refutes this defamatory association in the strongest possible terms.”
KENYA KAMBOWE
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