The prosecutor general has ordered the police to open a murder case against a mother, who is accused of murdering her two minor children and attempting to kill the third one in Ethiopia last year.
Speaking to New Era, spokesperson Kauna Shikwambi said the police got directives from the office of the prosecutor general to open a case against Kristofina Amutenya.
“Investigations are ongoing and constant liaison is maintained between the investigation office and the office of the prosecutor general,” said Shikwambi.
Although a case has been opened against Amutenya, she has not yet been arrested.
According to the police, the findings will be known once investigations have been completed.
Amutenya was arrested on 13 December 2020 in Ethiopia, where she was residing with her now ex-husband, Namibia’s trade attaché to that country, and was deported to Namibia on 3 April. Upon her
arrival at Hosea Kutako International Airport, she was arrested and detained at Klein Windhoek police station. She then made her first appearance in Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on 6 April on two counts of murder and a charge of attempted murder for allegedly killing her two children Jenay (9) and Jane (3) at their family home in Addis Ababa on 13 December 2020.
She is further accused of attempting to murder a third child before she tried committing suicide.
She was later released from police custody after the lower court, on the request of the State, provisionally withdrew the case against her.
Before her release from custody, Amutenya had approached the High Court on an urgent basis, questioning the grounds of her arrest upon her arrival in Namibia.
In her affidavit, she claimed she has not been furnished with any documentation explaining why she was immediately arrested at Hosea Kutako International Airport.
There is also no explanation why she was required to make an appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on 6 April.
She further claimed she has not been presented with any documents or notices explaining her deportation from Ethiopia.
The urgent application was later withdrawn after the lower court withdrew the case against her.
- mamakali@nepc.com.na