Otjiwarongo: A 32-year-old man died instantly on Thursday after he was allegedly stabbed in the chest with a knife during an altercation over a cellphone belonging to another man at Otjiwarongo's Ombili informal area. Namibian Police Force head of community affairs in the Otjozondjupa Region, Senior Inspector Maureen Mbeha, in a statement on Friday, said the deceased was identified by relatives as Shivute Sheetuuka.

According to Namibia Press Agency, preliminary police investigations indicate that Sheetuuka and the 44-year-old suspect were allegedly walking from a drinking spot when an argument between them broke out over a cellphone belonging to the suspect. 'The two men continued quarrelling until they reached Sheetuuka's sister's house in Ombili, where it escalated into a physical altercation,' said Mbeha.

'The suspect allegedly pulled out an Okapi knife and stabbed the deceased once in the left side of the chest. Sheetuuka collapsed to the ground and died,' she said. According to the police officer, the victim's sister reportedly told the police that she found her brother lying on the ground with a stab wound and that the suspect was still standing next to him (deceased) inside the yard holding the knife before he walked away to the neighbours' house where he informed them that he stabbed Sheetuuka.

The police were informed about the incident and arrested the suspect on a charge of murder. Police investigations in the matter continue.