Martha’s shooter repents

Police officer George Ndemwoongela says he is deeply sorry for the shooting death of student nurse Martha Ilonga in February. He confided in Namibian Sun shortly after appearing in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Katutura yesterday for allegedly killing Ilonga. Ndemwoongela’s first court appearance was witnessed by a packed gallery that included Ilonga’s family. Prosecutor Maria Andimba requested that Magistrate Desire Kamboua transfer the case to the regional court, where Ndemwoongela is expected to appear on December 2 to enter a plea. Speaking to Namibian Sun outside the court, an emotional Ndemoongela said he is deeply sorry for Ilonga’s death, saying he was just trying to do his job. “It was never my intention to kill someone. I am very sorry for her family,” he said. Ndemwoongela told Namibian Sun, that he did not see Ilonga in the vehicle she was travelling in and that he had aimed to shoot at the tyres. Ilonga was shot in Katutura, with varying accounts emerging about what happened. Ndemwoongela, who is the youngest of four children, said that ever since the incident his entire family has been filled with sadness. “I would also be very sad and angry if something like that happened to my sister and father. It is very sad for Ilonga’s family. Many people don’t know what happened that day and think I will just kill someone like that. I am also a brother. I can never intentionally kill someone’s sister or brother,” he said. Ndemwoongela said when he joined the police force in 2011, he was excited that he would be protecting people. “All I want to do is protect people from crime. It was never my intention to kill anyone and I am sorry,” he said. Meanwhile, Ilonga’s family expressed anger over Ndemwoongela not being in custody and living as a free man. “Why isn’t he in custody, like other people accused of a murder? He is a free person. We are very hurt,” said Ilonga’s cousin Luisa Amunyela. Ndemwoongela’s court appearance comes more than 10 months after the fatal shooting of Ilonga. She was shot on February 12, in an incident about which the police and witnesses gave varying versions. In the past few months, confusion surrounded Ilonga’s death. Her family accused the police and the Office of the Prosecutor-General of withholding information from them. Warning shots PG Martha Imalwa declined to reveal to the media what her decision was after the police docket was forwarded to her office. After the shooting, Namibian Sun interviewed the driver of the car in which Ilonga had been shot. Shuuveni Titus said the police did not fire warning shots before firing the bullet that struck Ilonga. He said Ilonga was in his car when another passenger received a call from a friend in Havana, who asked for help, saying he was stuck without petrol. When they arrived at the place, the man was in the company of police officers. Titus said he got out of the car to ask what was wrong, but the police officers told him to leave. He said he had driven a short distance when he heard a gunshot. When he looked around, he saw that Ilonga had been shot and his rear window was shattered. Police reports, however, claimed that the police were investigating a case when a car dropped off a passenger in Goreangab that they identified as a suspect in a robbery case. The police alleged that the officers immediately arrested the man, who had disembarked from the vehicle. They claimed that the vehicle sped off and the police fired warning shots in a bid to force the driver to stop. When the driver didn’t stop, the police fired at the car’s tyres and one of the bullets struck Ilonga, who was sitting in the back seat. GORDON JOSEPH