Crime burning Namibia

Back in 2022, the government proposed changes to the Combating of Rape Act to increase the minimum sentencing of perpetrators for up to 20 years in prison from the current 10 years to 15 years.

At the time, between January and August 2021, Namibia had recorded close to 700 rape cases “with a disproportionate impact on women and girls”.

Late last year, Popular Democratic Movement lawmaker Mike Venaani and others were losing sleep over the perpetual rise of criminal activities, particularly genderbased violence, robbery and murder as they attempted to find lasting solutions.

Venaani went further to table a motion in the National Assembly, seeking to arrest crime in the country.

Putting statistics to the face of crime in the country, between 2021 and 2022, a total of 98 640 criminal cases were reported countrywide, showing an increase of 7%, compared to the previous year.

Out of those cases, the Khomas, Oshana and Otjozondjupa regions have the highest crime rates, whereas Kavango West, Kunene and Omaheke recorded the least number of cases.

Women and children, furthermore, continue to suffer sexual abuse by male offenders. Statistics have revealed that from 2019 to July 2022, around 4 000 Namibian women fell victim to rape.

The recent gruesome killing of 30-yearold Christoph Frederick just over a week ago is another harsh reminder of how evil a society we have become.

Frederick, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, who identified as a woman, went missing last Wednesday morning after leaving home with friends.

His body was discovered the next day by a passerby in a riverbed next to the Chairman Mao Zendong High School in Otjomuise.

His body was discovered on Thursday with 32 stab wounds, and his private parts were cut off.

Since time immemorial, crime has been a part of societies the world over.

From Sinbad who robbed the thieves to Robin Hood who stole from the rich to feed the poor, crime has been there.

But never at any time in history has violent crime been as present as it is now.

At the time of writing, Israel was still proceeding with its genocidal war in the Gaza Strip, with wanton impunity.

From school shootings in America to hospital stabbings in China and the mutilation of transgender people in Namibia, crime has become the norm.

While authorities are doing their utmost to stop these hideous acts of violence by increasing penalties for people found guilty of such behaviour, it seems criminals just put a deaf ear to it.

In Namibia, white-collar crimes, such as fraud and theft, as well as rape and housebreaking, are the order of the day.

Every day, newspaper headlines scream about one or the other crime that was committed.

Namibians live in a state of constant fear that these atrocities will happen to them or their loved ones.

Even though our leaders preach peace from their pedestals, some of them are guilty of the evilest of deeds.

A case in point is the ongoing Fishrot case in which two of the most prominent politicians allegedly participated in a scheme to stuff their own pockets to the detriment of thousands of fishermen and their dependents.

Another example is when a lecturer at a technical college shot and killed two of his seniors because he was unhappy about a decision to transfer him to a different town.

Our Constitution, which is described as one of the best in the world and guarantees many freedoms, also guarantees that perpetrators of crime are protected from harsh treatment by the authorities.

In Namibia, you are deemed innocent until pronounced guilty by a competent court of law.

We have a very tolerant bail system that, although not perfect, does guarantee a suspect the opportunity to state why he or she is a candidate for bail.

In most instances, suspects with multiple arrests are released on bail, just to be arrested for similar offences in a short period.

A perfect example is cases of stock theft, where suspects are released on bail, just to be arrested after a day or a week for a same offence.

Society has cried foul of the court's conduct in granting bail left, right and centre.

But, and it is a big but, courts cannot hold people in custody for unspecified periods of time while their cases linger due to congested court rolls, especially for minor offences.

With this, we are not saying any crime is not serious, but offences like common assault and shoplifting – to name a few, cannot be grounds to deprive a person of their liberty when the penalties are normally a fine or a suspended sentence.

For more serious offences like, robbery with aggravating circumstances, housebreaking with intent to rob and robbery, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (for instance, where a person is seriously injured), rape (especially rape of a minor) and murder, bail may be refused.

With the nation seemingly engulfed by an inferno of crime, key institutions responsible for safety and security, health, gender-related issues and public wellbeing must be taken to task.

It speaks to underspending on research and development, as recently reported by the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology.

At times like this, we cannot take a waitand-see approach but ask difficult questions.

When was the last time, if at all, that the ministry of gender equality came up with an intervention informed by empirical data on how to deal with the issues for which it was created? There are also concerns about how the gender quality ministry is being run.

Talk is rife that the ministry is run more as a department of ‘women's affairs', rather than a ministry of gender equality.

It is time that this ministry becomes all-inclusive and caters to the Namibian populace at large, irrespective of gender.

We have a social worker shortage crisis in a nation facing a depression crisis.

Beyond the disturbing headlines, what is being done, scientifically or otherwise, to address crime and other societal ills in this country?

What safe avenues must the rejected, dejected and abused seek recourse to?

A disturbing trend is simmering now, where pensioners are raping their grandkids, people from whom we should least expect such gruesome behaviour and conduct.

It is a broad discussion. But talking is cheap. What is to be done?