Otjiwarongo: Members of the Swapo Party Women's Council (SPWC) in Otjiwarongo gathered on Thursday to condemn the brutal murder of 57-year-old Petronella Sabatha. Sabatha was allegedly killed with an axe and a knife inside her home in Otjiwarongo's Etambi location on Monday. An 18-year-old male suspect was arrested in the Windhoek district later that night.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the suspect, who sustained injuries during the incident, was transported to a Windhoek hospital by police on Tuesday. As of Thursday, he had not yet been moved back to Otjiwarongo where he is expected to appear in court.

During the gathering, approximately 50 SPWC members presented a petition to the Office of the Prosecutor General and the police. 'We also demand that the perpetrator of this heinous and barbaric crime be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, justice and without leniency,' the petition said.

The council further stated that women in Otjiwarongo have lived in fear since the incident, describing a heavy-hearted sense of betrayal and vulnerability. They emphasised that as SPWC members, they are monitoring the case closely and will continue to advocate for a safe Namibia for all women and girls. Otjiwarongo Mayor Leonard Simushi also attended the gathering.

Sabatha, a former institutional worker at Karundu Primary School, is survived by a son, a daughter, and five grandchildren. She is expected to be laid to rest on 21 March 2026 at the Orwetoveni Cemetery.