Helpless girl claims consistent rape

A young girl reportedly spent her 16th birthday locked up in a shack in Windhoek where she was repeatedly beaten, raped and left without food or water for days. After being initially released by her 26-year-old captor, she was locked up again on two more occasions on which he allegedly repeated the heinous deeds.

On two occasions the girl, a Grade 8-learner at a local school, was kidnapped on her way to or from school. The man threatened to shoot her and her family if she told anyone what he had done. The incidences took place in June and July, the family said.

To make matters even worse, the Namibian Police allegedly refused to open a case when the teenager’s mother reported the matter the first time, according to the mother.

“After the first incident we went to the police but the officer on duty said we cannot open a case because such cases are dealt with by the Women and Child Protection Unit (WCPU), she told Namibian Sun.

“We went there and I informed the officer that I wanted tests done on my daughter because she was kidnapped by a man for a week. I expected they would open a police case but that did not happen.” Medical tests were done and on the medical card the matter was indicated as statutory rape.

“I wanted the WCPU to take her in because I was worried the man might eventually kill her. They would not because they said she is not an orphan.”

The mother said she does not want the girl to stay at home because the man can come after her anytime. “I don’t have money to pay for transport to and from school.

“I had sleepless nights when my daughter was not at home. I thought of relocating to the North and selling my house,” the mother of nine said.

Despite rumours that the alleged rapist and the girl were in relationship the girl vehemently denied this when speaking to Namibian Sun.

“I only knew the man as he lived in the same location as my older sister.”

The first incident reportedly happened on her way from school. He offered her a lift to her sister’s house. “I said no but he forced me into the car and drove off to his shack where he started beating me with a belt and asking me why I don’t want to be his girlfriend.”

She was locked up for a week and repeatedly raped, without the man using condoms, she says.

The second time the man targeted the girl in the neighbourhood. He tied her hands with his belt and again took her to his place where he reportedly raped her repeatedly, beating her when she refused to give in.

“I gave in because I was scared he would harm me,” the girl said. On the third occasion the man reportedly again waited for her on her way from school and again she had to go through the same ordeal. On all three occasions the torture ended due to intervention by her older sister who insisted the man release the girl, warning him that he “would get into serious trouble”.

When approached for comment Deputy Commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi, Head of the Public Relations Division said “this was shocking”. He wanted the names of the officer(s) who turned the mother away. Kanguatjivi said if a person reports a case of this nature the person is taken to a separate room where a statement should be taken. “If this is true heads are going to roll,” he warned.

He asked this reporter to bring the police in contact with the mother and the girl for them to get to the bottom of the matter.

The WCPU unit commander, Lavinia Zimmer, said she “need more time as no one at the office can confirm the incident”, adding that all their members “are not in the office”.

Zimmer said she would like more proof and that the mother and the girl should come to their office.
“If we have done medical examinations, it proves that a report was done. We rather act on facts instead of rumours,” she said.