“Let our silence be heard”

SWAKOPMUND, Aug. 28 – Every Swakopmund resident is invited to attend a silent protest at the Swakopmund Magistrates Court, in an attemt to show solidarity in their concerns regarding the recent wave of violent crimes to hit the town and region.

The protest is held under the theme, “A peaceful Swakopmund for all – Let our silence be heard.”

According to the demonstration organiser, Mr Clinton Lang, the Swakopmund police informed him that they have accepted his written notice and have already forwarded a copy to the court to inform them regarding the proposed peaceful action. The demonstration is slated for 26 September 2017, the date when double-murder accused, Daniel Stefanus Nghilifa (26), Jerobiam Simon Shidute (23) and Fabianus Lazarus (24) will appear in the Swakopmund Magistrate’s Court to have a bail hearing date set.

The trio stand accused of murdering the elderly Strzelecki couple during a home invasion earlier this month at Swakopmund. Mrs Strzelecki was killed during the invasion, while Mr Strzelecki later succumbed to his injuries later on in hospital. More than 300 people have indicated that they want to be part of the silent protest, focusing mainly on demanding that the three suspects in the double murder not be eligible for bail.

Clinton Lang

“We also stand in silence for all those who have been murdered in our town and region and hope that justice is served, quickly and swiftly,” Lang stated.
In the matter of the most recent murder of Mr Manfred Harmann (78) at his home in Swakopmund’s Vineta suburb, a court date has not yet been set, as one of the suspects was shot by police at Outjo, after resisting arrest. He is recovering at a hospital in Windhoek, before being transferred to Swakopmund.
“These incidents were all inside jobs. The “murderers” were all known to the victims. It is very important that you are aware of who is working around you. Cheap labour usually involves unskilled labour, which usually involves migrant workers, who could also be opportunists preying on the weak and vulnerable,” said Lang. – Marshallino Beukes