By: Eba Kandovazu
The Ohangwena region has recorded 4 491 different criminal cases so far this year, of which gender-based violence tops at 3 131, while 185 rape cases were reported.
Ohangwena governor Walde Ndevashiya revealed this on Wednesday during his State of the Region address for 2022.
He termed these as crimes of concern, with theft at 983 cases, assault and grievous bodily harm cases at 667, housebreaking at 516, robbery at 123 and stock theft cases at 101.
Ndevashiya said that although the region has ten police stations, they continue to record a higher number of cases of crimes committed.
“In an effort to curb the high crime rate in the region, plans are underway to construct new police stations at Ondobe, Epembe and Omboloka. The Namibian police in the region are committed to the provision of safety and security by creating a conducive working environment for the men and women in the uniform to ensure their social wellbeing,” Ndevashiya said.
He added that the construction of a police station with charge office, cell block, male and female single quarters and married quarters at Endola is underway, the construction of a police station at Ongha is also underway as well as the construction of police barracks at Eenhana.
Earlier this week, the regional commander of Ohangwena region, commissioner Elizabeth Sibolile took issue with those labelling the Ohangwena region as a crime hotspot. She said the region did not report serious crimes. According to her, the media also paints a bad picture of the region by reporting that Ohangwena records a lot of crime.
“When crime happens in other places, no one really says anything, but as soon as anything happens in our region, everyone is talking,” Sibolile said.
Earlier this week, a 65-year-old man fatally shot his 55-year-old brother, sparking shockwaves. Sibolile told The Villager that the pensioner’s motive was unknown but that the two brothers had a quarrel.
Ndevashiya also revealed that during the period under review, 675 people died in his region, of which 167 died because of Covid-19. He added that one person died due to Malaria, two women succumbed to maternity complications, while the remaining 450 died due to other various causes.
He stressed that about 800 people were treated at public health facilities across the region for scabies.
“However, during the year under review, the number of cases exponentially increased between March 2021 and February 2022. A total number of 1,815 cases were reported in 2021, while 4,441 cases were reported between January and April 2022 alone, depicting an outbreak. To curb further scabies transmissions, the region received a stock of Benzyl Benzoate creams to treat all patients who fell victim to the infection,” Ndevashiya said.
On Covid-19, the Governor said as of 20 June 2022, the region tested 28 354 people for Covid-19, of which 6,477 tested positive, with 17 active, positive cases.
He explained that there are zero active cases in isolation and nine active cases being hospitalised thus far.
“In terms of vaccination against Covid-19, 33 563, 19.23 per cent of people have received the first dose, 19 415 people have received their second dose, 27 590 people have been fully vaccinated, and 1,347 people have received the booster dose,” he said.
