Governor condemns Okahandja rapes, murders

**Adolf Kaure **

**Iuze Mukube **

Otjozondjupa Governor John //Khamuseb has strongly condemned the “wicked crimes” that led to the arrest of 18-year-old Tjivikua Muundjua Karinambande last week, who is accused of raping and murdering two young minors in 2025.

After years of unanswered questions surrounding the murders of Ingrid Maasdorp (5) and Roswinds Fabianu (6), a major breakthrough occurred last week when the Namibian Police Force matched DNA evidence from the crime scenes to Karinambande, who now faces multiple charges, including kidnapping, rape, murder, and desecration of a dead human body.

He was initially apprehended over the alleged attempted rape of a 10-year-old girl in the same town.

Karinambande appeared Wednesday in Okahandja Magistrate’s Court, charged with two counts each of kidnapping, rape and murder, plus violating a corpse.

Maasdorp and Fabianu are alleged to have been kidnapped from KW von Marees Combined School, killed and mutilated in the district of Okahandja during March and April 2025.

Magistrate Masule Kwizi postponed the matter to 2 March 2027 and remanded Karinambande in police custody.

In an interview with New Era,

//Khamuseb commended President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah for her consistent support for bereaved families and for deploying military police to safeguard the community.

“I also want to thank the president for deploying the military police to patrol in Okahandja to safeguard the community, especially children. We can see that the long arm of the law has taken its full course. The issue is now in the police’s hands, and they have made significant progress. When the court trial concludes, the outcome will provide closure for the family, who have been waiting for so long,” he said.

Karinambande apologised for what may have happened to Ingrid Haylee Maasdorp and Roswind Ndinelao Fabianu.

**Community speaks up **

Speaking to New Era last week, Okahandja residents said they were united in disbelief, questioning how a young boy could have committed such a crime.

They also questioned what had happened to the body parts allegedly removed from his victims, reflecting renewed fear and anxiety in the community, especially among parents concerned for their children’s safety. Vyf Rand informal settlement resident and mother of four children, Albertina Tuyakupi (45), expressed her concern about the fear the killings have brought to Okakandja.

“Children are being killed, and these killings are stirring fear in the community. We pray every day for our good Lord to help and save us from the fear of children being killed here in Okahandja.

We don’t have any peace. We live in fear, and we keep a watchful eye on our children, cautioning them to play close by so they can stay safe.

From the time they come from school, we caution them not to isolate themselves but to remain in a group,” she said.

Tuyakupi called on the government to deploy even more police officers and soldiers in the township and informal settlements to help protect the community

“Even as elders, we can be attacked at any time, and especially the children are in great danger,” she added.

Another Vyf Rand resident, Frieda Mupupa (49), also spoke of the fear that grips the community daily and questioned whether the crimes are being committed for ritual purposes.

“We are seeing a lot of danger here in Okahandja, and we don’t know what to do. We are not being helped. Children in the community are being killed at very young ages, and we don’t know what they are using their bodies for,” said Mupupa.

The residents further called on the police to investigate the possibility of accomplices, saying that investigators should determine whether the suspect acted alone or with assistance from others.

During his appearance, the accused stated that “I just wanted to say I am sorry for the things I have done.”

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