Tourist killer suspect shot dead

A MAN believed to have been behind two attacks on tourists visiting the dinosaur tracks on the Farm Otjihaenmaperero last year has been shot dead.

Festus Amakwaya (29) died on the farm where he was formerly employed. He was allegedly shot by the owner, Reinholdt Stroebel, on Friday evening.According to the Police, Amakwaya and another suspect, Junias Luvinga (25), entered the homestead on the farm, threatened Stroebel’s wife with a knife and demanded the keys to a safe.After taking Mrs Stroebel’s watch, the pair allegedly locked her in the pantry.When her husband arrived with four German tourists shortly before seven that evening, they too were held at knife-point.They were then directed into the living room.Later the tourists were locked up in a bathroom, while Stroebel was forced to his car to hand over the safe keys.Stroebel allegedly took his revolver from the car and fired at the duo.Amakwaya fled and was found dead on the farm some time later.Luvinga then fought Stroebel for the revolver and eventually made off with the gun.He was arrested at Otjiwarongo on Sunday.He had sustained bullet wounds to the chest and foot.The watch, jacket and revolver were all recovered.Luvinga now faces charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances and attempted murder.Stroebel will face charges of murder and attempted murder for the attack on the two suspects.On April 28, the State dropped four charges of robbery – two of them armed – and kidnapping against Amukwaya when he appeared in the Otjiwarongo Magistrate’s Court.Following his arrest in August, the case was postponed at least six times – twice for further Police investigations and four times to allow Amukwaya to obtain legal aid.Amukwaya faced charges of kidnapping a German couple, Johannes Bienemann and Ilka Jacobs, on August 3, and Swiss tourists Peter and Annelen Kress on August 15.In both instances he is alleged to have overpowered the couples as they were leaving the farm.He allegedly threatened the German couple with a knife and knobkierie, forced them into their rented 4×4 and robbed them of money and other personal items.Their assailant had then driven them around until the vehicle ran out of petrol.When he attacked the Kress couple, he allegedly also robbed them of money and personal items and allegedly threatened them with an iron rod.He took charge of their vehicle until they forced him off the road and made their getaway.Amakwaya allegedly also committed two other robberies:one in 2000 and the other in February 2003.He was allegedly shot by the owner, Reinholdt Stroebel, on Friday evening.According to the Police, Amakwaya and another suspect, Junias Luvinga (25), entered the homestead on the farm, threatened Stroebel’s wife with a knife and demanded the keys to a safe.After taking Mrs Stroebel’s watch, the pair allegedly locked her in the pantry.When her husband arrived with four German tourists shortly before seven that evening, they too were held at knife-point.They were then directed into the living room.Later the tourists were locked up in a bathroom, while Stroebel was forced to his car to hand over the safe keys.Stroebel allegedly took his revolver from the car and fired at the duo.Amakwaya fled and was found dead on the farm some time later.Luvinga then fought Stroebel for the revolver and eventually made off with the gun.He was arrested at Otjiwarongo on Sunday.He had sustained bullet wounds to the chest and foot.The watch, jacket and revolver were all recovered.Luvinga now faces charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances and attempted murder.Stroebel will face charges of murder and attempted murder for the attack on the two suspects.On April 28, the State dropped four charges of robbery – two of them armed – and kidnapping against Amukwaya when he appeared in the Otjiwarongo Magistrate’s Court.Following his arrest in August, the case was postponed at least six times – twice for further Police investigations and four times to allow Amukwaya to obtain legal aid.Amukwaya faced charges of kidnapping a German couple, Johannes Bienemann and Ilka Jacobs, on August 3, and Swiss tourists Peter and Annelen Kress on August 15.In both instances he is alleged to have overpowered the couples as they were leaving the farm.He allegedly threatened the German couple with a knife and knobkierie, forced them into their rented 4×4 and robbed them of money and other personal items.Their assailant had then driven them around until the vehicle ran out of petrol.When he attacked the Kress couple, he allegedly also robbed them of money and personal items and allegedly threatened them with an iron rod.He took charge of their vehicle until they forced him off the road and made their getaway.Amakwaya allegedly also committed two other robberies:one in 2000 and the other in February 2003.