Okongo skeleton to be transferred to Windhoek for forensics
The skeleton found in a shallow grave
Until last week, the remains were still in Okongo-based veteran of the liberation struggle, Nathanael Nikodemus' backyard despite having reported the matter to the police on several occasions.
Ohangwena Police said the human remains found in a grave in the backyard of a house in Okongo will this week be transferred to Windhoek for forensic tests.
Okongo-based veteran of the liberation struggle, Nathanael Nikodemus, discovered the human remains in his backyard while digging a hole for a septic tank on 12 July.
Ohangwena police deputy commissioner, Melanie Mburu, told Namaibian Sun yesterday that the remains will be taken to Windhoek for forensic analysis.
Until last week, the remains were still in Nikodemus' backyard despite having reported the matter to the police on several occasions.
When contacted over the weekend, Nikodemus said that the police visited his house to remove the human remains just a day after Nambian Sun published the story.
“Just a day after you were here and exposed the matter, the police came and took it,” he said.
Old army base
Nikodemus’ house is about 500 metres from the former South African Army base at Okongo.
He thinks that the remains are those of a Swapo People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) combatant, who was killed near the enemy’s army base and was buried in a shallow grave.
“By the look of the remains and the shallow grave, the deceased was shot in the head from close range since the skull is severely damaged.
“If you look closely, there is burnt wood in the shallow grave and it suggests that after the soldier was shot, the body was thrown in the shallow grave and subsequently burnt,” Nikodemus said.
He also indicated that the pieces of cloth found in the grave resemble the uniforms worn by PLAN combatants during the liberation struggle.
“I remember this cloth, it is what we used to wear during the armed struggle. This is a body of a fallen soldier.”
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Okongo-based veteran of the liberation struggle, Nathanael Nikodemus, discovered the human remains in his backyard while digging a hole for a septic tank on 12 July.
Ohangwena police deputy commissioner, Melanie Mburu, told Namaibian Sun yesterday that the remains will be taken to Windhoek for forensic analysis.
Until last week, the remains were still in Nikodemus' backyard despite having reported the matter to the police on several occasions.
When contacted over the weekend, Nikodemus said that the police visited his house to remove the human remains just a day after Nambian Sun published the story.
“Just a day after you were here and exposed the matter, the police came and took it,” he said.
Old army base
Nikodemus’ house is about 500 metres from the former South African Army base at Okongo.
He thinks that the remains are those of a Swapo People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) combatant, who was killed near the enemy’s army base and was buried in a shallow grave.
“By the look of the remains and the shallow grave, the deceased was shot in the head from close range since the skull is severely damaged.
“If you look closely, there is burnt wood in the shallow grave and it suggests that after the soldier was shot, the body was thrown in the shallow grave and subsequently burnt,” Nikodemus said.
He also indicated that the pieces of cloth found in the grave resemble the uniforms worn by PLAN combatants during the liberation struggle.
“I remember this cloth, it is what we used to wear during the armed struggle. This is a body of a fallen soldier.”
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