Allexer Namundjebo
The Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo, urged the public to report police officers who are drunk or misbehaving.
Speaking on a local radio station, Shikongo said he has received many complaints about officers suspected of being drunk.
“The calls to implement mandatory breathalyser tests at police stations are many, but at the moment, there are no resources to implement such measures. We have many police stations, and that might not be possible to implement,” he said.
Shikongo warned officers who show up drunk at work to stop this behaviour.
“They have the responsibility to protect the public, and it is up to them to always remain sober when on duty,” he said.
He added that police officers caught drunk on duty or while driving will face the same legal action as civilians.
“There are no favours. If a police officer is caught driving under the influence of alcohol or any other substance, the law will take its course,” he warned.
His comments follow the arrest of a 43-year-old police sergeant after a fatal shooting at the Onhuno traffic checkpoint.
On Sunday night, Eliud Hamukwaya, 38, the co-driver of a heavy truck, was shot dead.
Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, head of the police’s public relations division, said the incident happened around 22h00 after the truck was stopped for failing to produce weighbridge documents.
The shooting has drawn public attention and political reactions.
Immanuel Nashinge, leader of the opposition party Independent Patriots for Change, said an independent body to handle such matters is long overdue.
Popular Democratic Movement member Maximilliant Katjimune agreed with this view.
A former member of Parliament, Joseph Kauandenge, criticised the police for investigating their own officers.
“It is, in fact, a mockery of our judicial system that police officers must investigate other police officers, to whom they have ties, and some being their bosses. This is compromising justice delivery to those affected by their conduct,” he said.
The Affirmative Repositioning Movement in the Ohangwena Region condemned what it calls a pattern of police brutality and extrajudicial killings.
The group said the incident reflects a growing militarisation of police-civilian interactions.
AR’s Ohangwena chairperson and member of parliament, Tuhafeni Kalola, criticised the regional police leadership.
He listed unresolved cases of fatal police-civilian encounters in the region, including the 2020 killing of David Tuhafeni in Oyongo Village and the 2021 death of Lebbeus Wambalili in Onamhinda.
He called on Inspector General Shikongo to urgently review the performance of regional police commanders, with a focus on officer wellness and accountability.
Former member of Parliament Hidipo Hamata, who passed through the checkpoint minutes before the shooting, said he will take legal action against the Namibian Police through his lawyer.
Hamukwaya’s mother, Loide Shilomboleni, said he was the family’s breadwinner. She expressed grief as they await official explanations.
Photos from the scene showed multiple bullet holes in the truck, raising questions about the force used.
The police sergeant, identified as Dimbulukeveni Namhila, was denied bail by Magistrate Vennecky Mumbala on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Elina Hashipala opposed bail, citing the seriousness of the charge, the early stage of investigations, and the risk of witness interference.
The case was postponed to 3 June for a formal bail application and further investigations.
Police have denied claims linking the officer to previous shootings.
