Government, civil society take aim at gun violence

AS a Police search for the murderers of German tourist Johannes Fellinger (56) continued for a third day yesterday, the Minister of Environment and Tourism and the Namibia Non-governmental Organisations Forum (Nangof) condemned the shooting.

Tourism Minister Willem Konjore expressed the condolences of his ministry to Fellinger’s wife, Elke (52), who was injured. “The Ministry of Environment and Tourism has learnt with shock and dismay of the brutal killing of Johannes Fellinger, a tourist from Germany,” the Minister said.”I …pray that those responsible for this reprehensible deed will be swiftly brought to justice and that their fate will be a warning to those who prey on other people, and tourists in particular.Our country cannot afford such acts of violence against tourists or any other member of society, and I condemn such acts in the strongest possible terms,” Konjore said.Fellinger was shot and killed about 60 km outside of Windhoek on Sunday afternoon, on a mountainous road in the Khomas Hochland area.The couple had stopped to take some photographs of the scenery, when two armed men emerged from out of the bush and tried to rob them.According to information provided by the Police, Fellinger had tried to come to his wife’s aid when he was shot in the head and dumped into the couple’s rented bakkie, before his body was later discarded in a riverbed.The robbers overturned the vehicle a few hours later at the turnoff to Otjimbingwe, his wife would later tell the Police, after becoming involved in a car chase with a local farmer at whose farm they stopped to rummage through the couple’s possessions.During the accident she sustained minor injuries, while Police suspect that one of the suspects was also injured, although he managed to escape along with his partner.Yesterday Namibian NGO Forum (Nangof) spokesperson Pauline Dempers called for a review of the country’s firearm legislation.”We are concerned about the increasing gun violence in the country.We call with all urgency for a review of the Firearms Act that would enable law enforcement agencies to be in control of the situation.Nangof is in the process of reviewing the Firearms Act of 1996 and will soon submit its findings to the National Focal Point on Firearms,” Dempers said.She also referred to a shooting at Rundu last Thursday, where a security guard shot a woman in the stomach with a shotgun.The suspect, who has since been arrested and charged with attempted murder, argued that he had tried to shoot a dog when the woman walked into his firing line.”The Ministry of Environment and Tourism has learnt with shock and dismay of the brutal killing of Johannes Fellinger, a tourist from Germany,” the Minister said.”I …pray that those responsible for this reprehensible deed will be swiftly brought to justice and that their fate will be a warning to those who prey on other people, and tourists in particular.Our country cannot afford such acts of violence against tourists or any other member of society, and I condemn such acts in the strongest possible terms,” Konjore said.Fellinger was shot and killed about 60 km outside of Windhoek on Sunday afternoon, on a mountainous road in the Khomas Hochland area.The couple had stopped to take some photographs of the scenery, when two armed men emerged from out of the bush and tried to rob them.According to information provided by the Police, Fellinger had tried to come to his wife’s aid when he was shot in the head and dumped into the couple’s rented bakkie, before his body was later discarded in a riverbed.The robbers overturned the vehicle a few hours later at the turnoff to Otjimbingwe, his wife would later tell the Police, after becoming involved in a car chase with a local farmer at whose farm they stopped to rummage through the couple’s possessions.During the accident she sustained minor injuries, while Police suspect that one of the suspects was also injured, although he managed to escape along with his partner.Yesterday Namibian NGO Forum (Nangof) spokesperson Pauline Dempers called for a review of the country’s firearm legislation.”We are concerned about the increasing gun violence in the country.We call with all urgency for a review of the Firearms Act that would enable law enforcement agencies to be in control of the situation.Nangof is in the process of reviewing the Firearms Act of 1996 and will soon submit its findings to the National Focal Point on Firearms,” Dempers said.She also referred to a shooting at Rundu last Thursday, where a security guard shot a woman in the stomach with a shotgun.The suspect, who has since been arrested and charged with attempted murder, argued that he had tried to shoot a dog when the woman walked into his firing line.