Otjiwarongo medical doctor in police custody

OTJIWARONGO, 17 MAR – The Otjiwarongo-based medical doctor who was forced to take leave by the Ministry of Health and Social Services following the circulation of a video of him allegedly driving erratically on the B1 road on 08 March this year surfaced, has been arrested.
Namibian Police Force (NamPol) Head of Media Relations Sub-Division, Chief Inspector, Kaunapawa Shikwambi, on Friday told Nampa that Yevai Chiradza was arrested on Friday morning in Windhoek.
“He was brought in by his lawyers at the Windhoek Police Station, where he was detained,” said Shikwambi.
Chiradza appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court the same day and was remanded in custody after he was denied bail.
Shikwambi said the doctor was wanted by NamPol since 08 March 2018, after a warrant of arrest was issued against him by the Karibib Magistrate’s Court on a culpable homicide incident in 2015 that he was allegedly involved in.
In that incident, three people were killed in a collision on the Okahandja-Karibib road.
Shikwambi said for now, new charges for reckless, negligent and inconsiderate driving have been added to the culpable homicide after a video was circulated on social media about how his vehicle was seen driving on the B1 road.
Chiradza will be transferred to Karibib for court appearance on the culpable homicide case.
Acting Otjozondjupa Region Health Director, Frieda Stefanus in a telephonic interview with Nampa on 10 March 2018 also confirmed to have issued a letter to Chiradza asking him to take leave for an unspecified period.
The doctor is accused of driving a private vehicle on B1 road while he was allegedly under the influence of unspecified substances.
In that video which was taken with a mobile phone, his vehicle is seen swerving dangerously into oncoming traffic on the road between Otjiwarongo and Okahandja, driving in the wrong lane and at one point even forcing an oncoming truck off the road.

NAMPA