The Namibian Police are seeking the help of a forensic expert in road accidents from South Africa to conduct an investigation at Iindangungu village in the Oshana region, where police inspector general Joseph Shikongo was involved in an accident a year ago.
This is according to a letter written by the deputy inspector general of the police, Elias Mutota.
The letter is dated 10 January.
Mutota’s letter is in response to a petition drafted by the families of the three people who died in the accident.
The petition was handed over at Ondangwa Police Station on 30 December.
The families are that of Frans Ndengu and Stephanus Lukas.
The accident claimed the lives of Sofia Ananias, Ndengu and Lukas.
The families have staged a demonstration, asking for the removal of Shikongo from his position as head of the Namibian Police.
“In the same vein, the Namibian Police has sought for a forensic specialised expert in motor accidents from South Africa to come to Namibia and conduct investigations at the accident scene, and then give a forensic expert opinion,” Mutota says.
He says once a forensic expert opinion has been obtained, it will be forwarded to the Office of the Prosecutor General for a final decision.
He says investigations into the accident have been completed and the docket has been forwarded to the prosecutor general.
“When is the person coming?” Ester Ndengu, a sister of Frans, asked when approached for comment yesterday.
She said if the investigations yield nothing, the two families would stage a demonstration at Shikongo’s homestead.
She said since Shikongo has alleged that the matter is being dealt with at a traditional court, he should inform the families of which traditional court.
Mutota yesterday confirmed that the letter came from the Office of the Inspector General, but could not say when a forensic expert from South Africa could be expected.
He said the police are in the process of finalising a work permit for such person.
“Those other things about the inspector general that should resign and pay we can’t respond to. We have limited ourselves to the accident matter,” Mutota said.
Shikongo earlier this month said a fatal car accident in which he was involved near Ondangwa in December 2022 was not intentional.
The two victims’ families have said they have been seeking a meeting with Shikongo, but have not been granted this opportunity.
Speaking at a public meeting at Oshakati this year, Shikongo said he does not believe anyone who drives a vehicle intends to cause an accident.
“I don’t think anyone has the audacity of crashing a vehicle into another vehicle or causing that intentionally,” he said.
He said the public should allow the law to take its course.
Shikongo also said the matter has been taken to a traditional court.
The police last year announced that they have been investigating Shikongo in connection with culpable homicide and reckless and negligent driving.
These investigations were not completed by mid-December last year.
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