Runaway mental patient wreaks havoc at former school

The family of a 20-year-old man battling mental illness, who allegedly caused damage to the property of four teachers at his former school near Ongwediva on Tuesday morning, has blamed the police for what they termed a sluggish response.Although the initial police report stated that the patient had escaped from Ward 16 of Oshakati State Hospital, where he was receiving treatment for an unspecified mental health issue, the hospital’s acting medical superintendent, Dr Johannes Shilongo, clarified that he had been seen as an outpatient on Monday. Shilongo added that the young man, who left school after failing Grade 10, is currently admitted to the hospital.Oshana police regional commander, Commissioner Naftal Lungameni Sakaria, yesterday said the incident occurred at approximately 10:40 at Niitembu Primary School in Iikango village, Ongwediva constituency.Sakaria said the complainants included the school principal, three teachers and a woman living in the village.He explained that at around 10:40, as learners were heading towards the kitchen area for their lunch break, they encountered a young man running in their direction while wielding an Okapi knife."As they approached the kitchen area, they saw the suspect running towards them with a knife in hand. The learners immediately ran back to their classrooms, screaming and alerting their teachers and principal," Sakaria said.School principal Gabriel Daniel quickly contacted Ongwediva Police Station for assistance."While he was on the call, the suspect entered the kitchen area and poured out the soft porridge from all three pots prepared for the learners," Sakaria noted.After spilling the food, the suspect proceeded to the parking area, where he used the Okapi knife to slash the tyres of three vehicles. He then smashed the windows, windscreens and other car parts, including indicators and side mirrors, using a metal pipe he had broken from a water tap.The rampage continued as the suspect moved towards the eastern side of the school, where he found another vehicle parked under a tree and severely damaged it by slashing and puncturing its tyres.Sakaria said villagers began following the suspect until members of the Special Reserve Force arrived and restrained him. He was subsequently taken to Oshakati State Hospital.The total cost of the damages is yet to be determined.Sakaria confirmed that no school buildings were damaged and no learners were injured. However, no formal arrest has been made due to the suspect&#039;s state of mind. A mental health crisis unfolds Speaking to Namibian Sun from her home on Wednesday, Reginald Lekenata Johannes (62) said her grandson&#039;s mental illness began last month when he was admitted to Oshakati State Hospital. She could not confirm his diagnosis but noted that he had been prescribed medication, which he refused to take.The distressed grandmother explained that in the 17 years she had lived with her grandson, he had never exhibited signs of mental health issues until last month, when they suspected he had started using cannabis.She recalled that on Sunday morning, he asked her about her dreams. When she replied that she had not dreamt, he told her that he had dreamt of the devil instructing him to beat her.Johannes ignored his remarks and went to work in her field, instructing him to stay inside the house. However, she was later informed that he had gone to a neighbour&#039;s house, refusing to return home because he feared being taken to the hospital for injections, which he strongly disliked.“He said, ‘No, I am not going home because there are ghosts, and you want to take me for an injection.’ I assured him that I would not take him, but he still refused to return,” Johannes said tearfully.No help at handAs his behaviour worsened, he reportedly began assaulting family members. Johannes sought help from the police at a nearby roadblock, but claims they told her they did not have a vehicle available.“We lost track of him and returned home. On Monday morning, we received a call that he was seen preaching on the road, with cars cautiously driving around him. I asked his siblings to look for him. By then, he was at Oshana Mall, harassing people at the ATMs. Again, we called the police, and again, they said they had no vehicle. What kind of police force does not have cars?” she asked.Later that evening, she was informed that he was vandalising a vehicle at a nearby shebeen.She instructed her eldest grandchild to retrieve him. Although he managed to restrain him, the scuffle left him with a bitten lower lip, now bandaged. The family brought the suspect home to wait for the police, who only arrived at 02:00 to take him to the hospital.However, the suspect later escaped from the hospital and walked back to the village. Johannes once again contacted the police to report his escape, but they repeated that they had no available transport.“If they had just responded on time, he wouldn’t have done what he did,” she lamented.Police responseCommissioner Sakaria denied allegations that the police had been unhelpful, arguing that they had assisted the family whenever called upon.He highlighted the strain on police resources due to the frequent need to intervene in mental health crises.“Families must ensure that their relatives take their medication before their condition deteriorates. It is a growing concern. While we understand the family’s frustration, the reality is that people are not taking responsibility. They wait until the situation escalates. We assist where we can, but we have limited resources,” Sakaria said.

Runaway mental patient wreaks havoc at former school

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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Runaway mental patient wreaks havoc at former school

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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