Wife ‘chose’ to die with ill husband

ADAM HARTMAN SWAKOPMUNDA husband and wife who committed suicide in their Swakopmund home on Sunday allegedly did it to put an end to the terminal illness he suffered from, while she allegedly did it because she loved him too much to be without him.This was reportedly what was written, amongst other things, in a suicide note left at the scene and on Monday read by the wife’s colleague before it became part of the evidence confiscated by police forensics officials.“He had a blood condition, and he did not have much time left, and she loved him too much to be without him. That was apparently the reason why this tragedy happened,” the colleague told Namibian Sun’s sister publication, Erongo 24/7.Top investigator Nelius Becker and national forensics expert Paul Ludik were among the officials at the house in Goshawk Street, in Swakopmund’s Vogel Beach suburb, where the deceased were still in their bed where they died, after allegedly “drinking something”. The couple also ‘euthanised’ their pets - a dog and cat.On Monday afternoon, the police were still reluctant to release the couple’s identity as they were foreign nationals. The husband was a South African citizen, and the wife a British citizen. They apparently have one son, and they operated a business that provided services to Swakop Uranium.“The embassies were informed and have to, in turn, inform the relatives. No one wants to read about the death of their family in the media before it is officially released,” police spokesperson, deputy commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, said.Erongo 24/7 is, however, in possession of the names of the deceased couple.When asked what caused their deaths, Ludik said that must still be confirmed and therefore he could not comment.‘Take the police with you’According to the colleague, she was called by the wife’s friend from South Africa on Sunday to ask if she [the colleague] had received an email the victim allegedly told the friend she would send to her [the friend].“She phoned on Sunday to ask if I have the email, but I said for me to access the email, I would need to get onto her [the wife’s] computer, which was at their home. The friend then told me not to go there, which made me suspicious.“I asked why not, and then she said that if I go, I should take the police with me,” she told Erongo 24/7.When the colleague arrived at the house - from where the business also operated - there was a note at the entrance, stating: “Do not come to our bedroom. Call the paramedic”.There was also a signed “last will and testament” with their names which detailed several business actions that need to be taken.The couple were found dead in their bed. Their dead pets were also discovered in the room. Lovely people“They were such lovely people – down to earth and happy-go-lucky. She loved animals, and if she could, she would probably have run a zoo,” the colleague said, adding that she was “filled with mixed emotions; shock and anger”.The couple apparently left small notes to all their employees, but the police confiscated these before the contents could be read.“When I get the computer back after inspection by the police, I will possibly understand more. There is no family here, and I was tasked to take care of many things. I am still in the dark,” she said.“I know there was debt, but there were also explanations on how to address it. Why did they not just flee the country? Whatever was going on, it caused them to plan this so carefully over a long time,” she added. adam@erongo.com.na

Wife ‘chose’ to die with ill husband

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Namibian Sun 2025-08-14

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Wife ‘chose’ to die with ill husband

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Namibian Sun 2025-08-14

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