WINDHOEKELVIS MURARANGANDA
A 15-year-old son of former Veterans' Affairs Minister Ngarikutuke Tjiriange claims that he and his friends were assaulted by a taxi driver over the weekend.
Kenahiou Tjiriange, his father's driver, Johny Nampla, 24, and two others were the alleged victims of assault when they tried to get home on Friday around 23:00 after a night out.
Tjiriange says he called Nampla to take a taxi from Eros to Auasblick to pick him up as he and his friend couldn't find a taxi in that area. Nampla arrived in a taxi with another passenger on board.
"The driver told us that he would drop-off his passenger at Otjomuise despite our protest that he should drop us off first since we are closer than Otjomuise," Tjiriange told Namibian Sun
The driver allegedly drove past Otjomuise towards Greenwell Matongo to pick up the other passenger's girlfriend.
At Greenwell Matongo another passenger who recognised Tjiriange and Nampla joined them on his way to the Windhoek Central Hospital in Windhoek North.
However, the car sped past the hospital towards the Eros suburb where the Tjiriange residence is, only to stop a few kilometres from the house.
"The passenger [who came with the driver] started to push Johnny, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, saying that he was sleeping and he must not sleep in the car," Tjiriange said.
When the passenger who got on last tried to intervene, he was pulled out of the vehicle and was kicked and punched by the taxi driver and his the first passenger.
"A few seconds later another taxi arrived with two or three male passengers, who continued to attack the men.
"When the other men arrived the guy who was being attacked ran away and they then turned to Marvin and started to kick him. While Marvin was lying on the ground they turned to Johnny and me," Tjiriange related.
"I pleaded with them to stop the assault and said if it was more money they wanted, they must come with me to our house and I would give them N$400."
Two of the attackers left the scene in the second taxi, leaving behind three men and the woman. But after Tjiriange's promise of more money, the woman, taxi driver and Marvin left with Tjiriange for the residence.
Nampla said: "When they returned Kenaa [Tjiriange] and Marvin were not in the car. I told them I know the driver and I will report them to the police after they release me. They said they will take me to Goreangab Dam.
"They stopped at the service station [PUMA in Klein Windhoek] for petrol, I ran into the shop and they tried pulling me out, saying I tried hijacking them.
"Fortunately the cashier pushed the panic alarm and G4S [security] and the City Police showed up," he said.
The Namibian Police could not be reached for comment.