Namibia police officers have identified the 9-year-old Zimbabwean girl whose body was discovered by a passerby on Saturday, burnt beyond recognition dumped at a skip, New Era Live reports.
The police have since arrested a woman believed to be the mother of the child. The unnamed woman is a Zimbabwean registered nurse and a temporary resident.
On Sunday authorities also arrested a Zimbabwean couple that live at the same address. This came after the two were seen on cctv dragging a wheelie bin that reportedly contained the remains of the child to the rubbish skip. They are suspected to have set the bin on fire before fleeing. Local news reports identified one Edward Nkata and his wife as the fleeing suspects.
The police yesterday also shared explosive details, including a pattern of violence against the victim, who was identified as Akundaishe Natalie Chipombo. Briefing the media yesterday, top police investigator Nelius Becker said the victim was reportedly assaulted on several occasions, according to neighbours.
“According to evidence that we gathered at the scene, the deceased might have been assaulted on occasions in the past and more frequently on the Monday of the 20th January. There was an audible assault on the female child or bigger female child in the residence. This is the reason why we affected the arrests,” he said.
A woman suspected to be the mother of the child was arrested on Sunday and is expected to appear in court tomorrow.
Two more suspects, who lived in the same rented property in Windhoek North with the deceased were also arrested near Otjiwarongo on Sunday.
The two are a married couple with three children.
The wife will also appear tomorrow, while the husband is still recuperating from injuries sustained in a car accident shortly after their arrest on Sunday.
The husband and wife were seen dragging a wheelie bin in the eastern direction of Ooievaar Street and a witness felt it was suspicious because it was dark in the night.
The couple was also caught on municipal surveillance in the area, pulling a wheelie bin on Friday night.
Investigators were immediately dispatched to the area, following the gruesome discovery of the minor girl’s body by a passer-by on Saturday morning.
This discovery directed investigators to the premise where the body is suspected to have came from.
The police later on Saturday evening visited the premises to interview the neighbours.
“We also confiscated a wheelie bin with the content taken by myself, which could be used as evidence,” Becker added.
He also confirmed that a broken broomstick and burnt clothes were collected as part of the evidence.
The police are suspecting that someone from the residence in all probability murdered the child.
According to the police, the three accused and five children, have been living at the address since December 2018.
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