The Police recently completed its investigation into the allegations of the witchcraft-related rape of an albino teenager by a 44-year old resident of Omatando no.2 village in Okatana constituency who now stands accused of the heinous crime.

This came to light when the accused, Jonas Iingumu Mathias, appeared before Oshakati Magistrate, Mika Namweya, on 12 July. The case was remanded to October 4 for trial.

Mathias was caught in the act by the Ongwediva police on 17 May after a tip-off from the local community. According to anecdotal evidence Mathias enticed the victim by promising her money, shiny cars and cattle. On the day of the incident, he took her for a joy-ride to Onambiba, Okamusaati, Corner Shop and other drinking holes in and around Ongwediva. Upon their return home after a drinking spree, shortly before sunset, he took the teenager to an abandoned buildings of his nearby, where he is alleged to have raped the girl. Members of that community claim that they saw them entering the building and reported the incident to the police, which providentially arrived on time to find him in the act.

Immediately after the incident, a team made up of the accused’s mother, Teresia-Pelenga Neshuku, his uncle Justus-Nekundi Ekandjo, his wife Aili Uutoni and his brother, Kanisius-Justus Shiindi, went to the family of the victim to negotiate an out-of-court settlement, which was flatly rejected. Shiindi, an Oshakati-based non-commissioned member of the Namibian Defense Force, went a step further imploring the relatives of the victim not to talk to the media. This was revealed in a txt message seen by Informanté. At Mathias’ first appearance on 21 May, he was denied bail, because the police investigation had not completed and it was feared that he may interfere with the investigation, since his usual residence is quite close to that of the victim. The child-woman, a Grade 7 learner from a school (name known) east of Eenhana Town in Ohangwena Region, was visiting a friend at Omatando no.2 village when the incident happened. She has since returned to her home village, but regularly attends court proceedings in Oshakati. The jobless accused, Mathias, was subsequently released after posting bail of N$600 on 27 June.

“We are very disturbed by the fact that the accused was released on bail, but at the same time is arrogantly going around boasting that he indeed committed the crime and he will not languish in prison forever since he is linked to powerful religious, political and legal forces. Worse still, these insolent and offensive words are uttered by a reckless man who was practicing witchcraft (omindaba) on our vulnerable child. We have learnt with shock and disgust that he was told by a witchdoctor to have sexual intercourse with a virgin, more specifically an albino, as part of a healing and wealth-boosting process,” an irate relative of the victim told Informanté.

According to village sources, Mathias was overheard boasting at drinking places, such as Omapeleki in Onawa village, Sande Bar in Omatando no.2 village, Onambiba and Okamusaati shebeens in Omatando no.1 village, that he is untouchable and privileged, because he is related to individuals in high-ranking political and legal offices (names withheld).