Outrage over girl’s murder - by Alvine Kapitako
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WINDHOEK – News of the horrific rape and murder of 17-year-old Magdalena Stoffels, of Dawid Bezuidenhout High School, on Tuesday has been received with shock, with many organisations and individuals condemning the gruesome act.
Those protesting against the murder have called for stricter measures against murder suspects. Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Doreen Sioka, said the law should be amended so that rape and murder cases are treated as special cases that police should investigate and refer for prosecution immediately.
“It’s a slap in the face of the ministry,” said Sioka.
The Women’s Action for Development (WAD) Executive Director, Veronica De Klerk could not hide her shock, disbelief and disappointment over what happened. She said violent acts committed against women and girls in public are often the result of how the perpetrators grew up.
“We have to address the causes of these problems,” she said. She questioned why cattle thieves get sentences of between 20 and 30 years in prison while the punishment for rape and murder is much less and often the perpetrators get bail.
The National Project Co-ordinator of WAD, Frans Velishavo, apologised on behalf of the men for the act committed against Stoffels and on behalf of women in general. He made a plea to men to stop violent acts.
“We are in the process of destroying the trust of the whole Namibian nation because of what we are doing,” he said.
Velishavo urged men to portray characters of “gentle men”. He said a real man does not abuse women. He suggested that a programme be introduced in the media that would teach men how to “treat women”.
Meanwhile, Namibian Police said they neither condone nor accept acts of violence targeting “vulnerable sections of our population, that is women and children. Thus, we will always make sure that culprits and evildoers are apprehended and brought to book to answer for their barbaric actions”.
Deputy Commissioner of Nampol, Hophni Hamufungu warned in a statement that members of the communities, particularly women and children, should refrain from walking in dark areas, riverbeds and areas that are prone to “harbouring would-be people with ill intensions”.
Hamufungu urged parents to discourage their children from walking or crossing through riverbeds.
“Parents should instead make arrangements for their children to be dropped and picked up from schools,” he suggested.
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Those protesting against the murder have called for stricter measures against murder suspects. Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Doreen Sioka, said the law should be amended so that rape and murder cases are treated as special cases that police should investigate and refer for prosecution immediately.
“It’s a slap in the face of the ministry,” said Sioka.
The Women’s Action for Development (WAD) Executive Director, Veronica De Klerk could not hide her shock, disbelief and disappointment over what happened. She said violent acts committed against women and girls in public are often the result of how the perpetrators grew up.
“We have to address the causes of these problems,” she said. She questioned why cattle thieves get sentences of between 20 and 30 years in prison while the punishment for rape and murder is much less and often the perpetrators get bail.
The National Project Co-ordinator of WAD, Frans Velishavo, apologised on behalf of the men for the act committed against Stoffels and on behalf of women in general. He made a plea to men to stop violent acts.
“We are in the process of destroying the trust of the whole Namibian nation because of what we are doing,” he said.
Velishavo urged men to portray characters of “gentle men”. He said a real man does not abuse women. He suggested that a programme be introduced in the media that would teach men how to “treat women”.
Meanwhile, Namibian Police said they neither condone nor accept acts of violence targeting “vulnerable sections of our population, that is women and children. Thus, we will always make sure that culprits and evildoers are apprehended and brought to book to answer for their barbaric actions”.
Deputy Commissioner of Nampol, Hophni Hamufungu warned in a statement that members of the communities, particularly women and children, should refrain from walking in dark areas, riverbeds and areas that are prone to “harbouring would-be people with ill intensions”.
Hamufungu urged parents to discourage their children from walking or crossing through riverbeds.
“Parents should instead make arrangements for their children to be dropped and picked up from schools,” he suggested.
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