A 23-year-old woman from Ondjokwe village at Onankali in Oshikoto Region died on Monday night shortly after she was severely assaulted by her partner with a mahangu pestle – a blunt wooden stick used for pounding – apparently because she refused to let him to use her mobile phone.

Oshikoto regional crime investigation coordinator Deputy Commissioner Naomi Katjiua said a quarrel erupted after the suspect, Fillipus Uusiku, aged 22, arrived at the woman’s place from Okatokele cuca shops and demanded to use her cellphone, a request she turned down, prompting Uusiku to strike the deceased twice on the head with the wooden pestle.

Katjiua said the deceased was preparing dinner at the time of the assault and managed to run outside for help, but the suspect pursued her and caught up with her, where he continued to assault her until she fell unconscious.

The deceased was identified as Rauha Kamati. She died upon arrival at Okatope Clinic.

Katjiua said there had been numerous incidents of domestic violence between the couple, which were not reported. She said the couple had been in a relationship for five years and have a one-year-and-five-month old daughter. Kamati’s next of kin have been informed of her death.

Still in Oshikoto Region, a case of murder with concealment of birth was opened in Tsumeb after the frozen corpse of a baby was discovered at the dumping site in Tsumeb. According to Katjiua, the suspect gave birth to the baby and put the body is the fridge, after which she wrapped it in a plastic bag and disposed of it in a dustbin.