Erasmus Shalihaxwe
The 28-year-old Doctor Mbeheva was arrested on Tuesday for giving his minor daughter a hookah pipe, also known as a hubbly bubbly, to smoke.
The incident took place on Saturday, 14 June 2025, at an unknown time at a residence in Otjomuise’s 8ste de Laan, Windhoek.
The Namibian Police’s spokesperson, Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, confirmed the arrest and said Mbeheva unlawfully and intentionally induced the child to use a tobacco product or another harmful substance.
He was arrested for violating Section 230(1)(b) of the Child Care and Protection Act, 2015 (Act No. 3 of 2015), and Section 18(1) of the Tobacco Products Control Act, 2010 (Act No. 1 of 2010).
“The following items were confiscated: one packet containing a suspected flavoured tobacco substance found in the room where the incident took place; two cell phones, one belonging to the suspect and one belonging to the person who captured the video; and 05 grams of tobacco residue,” Shikwambi said.
Mbeheva has not yet been formally charged.
Police investigations are ongoing.
His arrest came at a time when, last month, the parliamentary standing committee recommended an import ban as well as prohibiting the sale, hiring, and use of hubbly and vaping products in Namibia.
This recommendation was included in a report released earlier this week by the National Council’s Standing Committee on Health, Social Welfare, and Labour Affairs.
The report also proposed banning the sale of tobacco products to minors under the age of 18, along with prohibiting the open display of hookah pipes, flavoured tobacco, vapes, and e-cigarettes.
The minister of gender equality and child welfare, Emma Kantema, condemned the act and said it was deeply troubling.
“It is deeply troubling that a father will make his own daughter smoke such substances, putting the health and well-being of the child at risk,” she said.
“The safety, health and well-being of children are paramount, and an act that endangers their physical or emotional welfare is completely unacceptable. As custodians of child protection, we condemn in the strongest terms any form of child abuse, neglect or exploitation. We are working closely with law enforcement authorities to ensure that justice is served and that the rights of this vulnerable child are protected.”
She urged the public to report all cases of suspected child abuse.
“Together, we can foster a safe, nurturing environment where every child can thrive, free from harm and neglect. Let us stand together in our responsibility to protect and uphold the dignity and rights of our children. We owe it to them to create a future where they are safe, loved and valued,” said Kantema.
