Police probe possible negligence
The Khorixas police station has no record of several complaints by murder victim Sylvia Gorases's family that he had threatened to kill her.
The police at Khorixas plan to investigate why complaints of alleged death threats by the ex-boyfriend of Sylvia Gorases were not recorded or acted on.
The family of Gorases, who was allegedly stabbed to death by ex-boyfriend Arnold Gamseb on 24 December, claim that they went to the police numerous times to report that he had threatened to kill her, but no action was taken.
They also say she specifically went to the police station on 23 December.
The Namibian Police Force's acting regional police commander for Kunene, Deputy Commissioner Jarson Iita told Nampa on Friday that there are no records of such complaints in the police occurrence book of the Khorixas police station.
“I have heard numerous complaints from the public that the police did not act when the victim complained. We checked the record books but did not find any record of her complaints at the Khorixas police station. I even asked the police officers to double-check. However, we will still investigate why they did not record the incident of threats on 23 December,” he said.
Cynthia Gaeses, a sister to Gorases, said they went to the police station on several occasions to report the alleged death threats.
“He started threatening to murder my sister. I accompanied her on several occasions to the police station for them to take action and all we were told is that they would talk to him soon. Sometimes they said they did not have a vehicle to look for him,” said Gaeses.
Gaeses further claimed that she and her sister visited the police station at least 15 times since the beginning of 2019, but were not assisted.
Gorases's daughter Betula alleged that Gamseb would send threatening text messages to her mother.
“He did this using different numbers. My mother lived in fear. Sometimes in the morning, we would see his footprints all over our yard,” said Gorases.
The 45-year-old Gamseb appeared in the Khorixas Magistrate's Court on a charge of murder, read with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act, last week and was denied bail.
Public prosecutor Penda Hamunyela opposed bail, saying it was not the first time the accused committed a serious crime as he was out on bail for an alleged rape case when he allegedly stabbed Gorases.
His case was postponed to 3 March for further police investigations and formal bail application.
NAMPA
The family of Gorases, who was allegedly stabbed to death by ex-boyfriend Arnold Gamseb on 24 December, claim that they went to the police numerous times to report that he had threatened to kill her, but no action was taken.
They also say she specifically went to the police station on 23 December.
The Namibian Police Force's acting regional police commander for Kunene, Deputy Commissioner Jarson Iita told Nampa on Friday that there are no records of such complaints in the police occurrence book of the Khorixas police station.
“I have heard numerous complaints from the public that the police did not act when the victim complained. We checked the record books but did not find any record of her complaints at the Khorixas police station. I even asked the police officers to double-check. However, we will still investigate why they did not record the incident of threats on 23 December,” he said.
Cynthia Gaeses, a sister to Gorases, said they went to the police station on several occasions to report the alleged death threats.
“He started threatening to murder my sister. I accompanied her on several occasions to the police station for them to take action and all we were told is that they would talk to him soon. Sometimes they said they did not have a vehicle to look for him,” said Gaeses.
Gaeses further claimed that she and her sister visited the police station at least 15 times since the beginning of 2019, but were not assisted.
Gorases's daughter Betula alleged that Gamseb would send threatening text messages to her mother.
“He did this using different numbers. My mother lived in fear. Sometimes in the morning, we would see his footprints all over our yard,” said Gorases.
The 45-year-old Gamseb appeared in the Khorixas Magistrate's Court on a charge of murder, read with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act, last week and was denied bail.
Public prosecutor Penda Hamunyela opposed bail, saying it was not the first time the accused committed a serious crime as he was out on bail for an alleged rape case when he allegedly stabbed Gorases.
His case was postponed to 3 March for further police investigations and formal bail application.
NAMPA
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