By Confidente Reporter
THE Otjiwarongo Magistrate’s Court recently rejected a bail application of a 50 year-old man suspected of raping and impregnating a 14 year-old girl. The man, Paulus Iyambo was again remanded in custody to allow further investigations during his second court appearance.
Confidente last week reported that Iyambo’s arrest late last month was a result of immense pressure on the police by the community, approximately three months after the teen gave birth to a healthy baby girl. The minor had given birth via C-section in April and will return to school next year.
Residents in the town at the time told Confidente that since the matter came under the public spotlight last month, the minor’s family has reportedly been under immense political pressure to settle the issue mutually pointing out that Iyambo, a fire brigade officer is married to Swapo councillor and personal assistant of Otjozondjupa Governor – Sonia Iyambo.
To complicate matters, the minor’s father was quoted in a local publication defending the man accused of having raped and impregnated his daughter with the view that if he goes to jail, nobody will take care of the their baby.
At the time the father also said that the suspect had told him that he would financially support the minor and the baby hence his reluctance to report the matter to police. Residents however said that the minor’s father found it difficult to report the suspect who works for the fire brigade where he (the father) is a security guard.
Sonia last week laughed at allegations of alleged political pressure on the matter and defended her husband whom she said was being attacked unfairly. “I don’t want to comment on this matter because people are busy tarnishing that poor man’s (Paulus) name. They are lying; there are people at the forefront of this thing so I don’t want to comment.”