Helaria Hainane, 48, became the latest casualty of domestic violence after she was allegedly stabbed and set on fire with a chain tied around her neck at Okahamevona at Okongo last week Thursday.
Hainane’s younger sister, Nadula Hainane, told New Era that apart from the burned body, there was apparently a ditch dug at their house and a bloody knife was found at the murder scene.
The identity documents of the victim were also removed from the house and left outside.
Helaria’s husband, 58-year-old Thomas Theofilus, allegedly committed suicide after reportedly killing his wife.
He was later found hanging from a tree.
The two had only been married for nine months.
“The incident has shocked us all. We will probably never know how or why our sister was murdered, but we have lost a loving, kind and a helping hand at home,” the shocked younger sister said.
“We didn’t even know she had problems at home. She always sounded so happily married, but it is shocking to hear that she had told someone that she will not make it to December and that she was once spotted with a rope around her neck. She saw her death coming.”
Ohangwena regional crime coordinator Deputy Commissioner Andreas Haingura said the post-mortem on the two bodies were to be conducted yesterday to determine the exact cause of death.
Passersby apparently assumed the man was collecting wild fruits, Omauni, when they saw him climbing a tree on Thursday. However, another onlooker noticed he was indeed hanging from the tree and that there was smoke rising out of their bedroom.
Hainane said the family is not blaming anyone, however, they asked of their late sister’s husband’s family to confirm the allegations that he was released from work, because of his mental instability.
“If the allegations are indeed true, they should have informed us from the onset. We knew something was not right. There was no wedding party on the groom’s side, because his family was apparently not ready for the wedding,” said Nadula Hainane.
Helaria Hainane is survived by three children from previous relationships. She will be buried today.