LATEST on Namibian girls who were assaulted in car

Two Namibian students who were kidnapped and assaulted by three women in Zimbabwe last week are recovering and say they are ready to put the nightmare behind them.

Nancy Kaambo (20) and Vehamisa Tjiramba (20), who study at a college in Zimbabwe.

NAMIBIA’S ambassador to Zimbabwe Balbina Daes Pienaar said the two students who were kidnapped and assaulted in that country last week are safe, and the police are investigating the case.

Nancy Kaambo (20) and Vehamisa Tjiramba (20), students at a college in Bulawayo, were assaulted by three women who alleged that one of them had an affair with one of the women’s husbands.

LATEST on Namibian girls who were assaulted in car

A video that went viral on social networks last week alerted the Zimbabwean police to the assault, leading to the arrest of the three women, who were questioned and released.

The three women − Mbalenhle Mitchell Magama, Tapiwa Chiwundo and Kholwani Baloyi – all aged 24 – have since appeared in court on charges of kidnapping, assault and distributing pornographic material.

One of the women claimed that her husband received text messages from one of the Namibian girls. Pienaar told The Namibian from Harare yesterday that one of the girls, Tjiramba, is now back in Namibia, while Kaambo was in that country safe and in good shape.

“I personally had a meeting with Kaambo, who is still in Bulawayo. Tjiramba is back in Namibia with her parents. I cannot go into details as the matter is sub judice,” Pienaar explained.

Tjiramba’s mother, Isabella Kakujaha, said she is relieved her daughter is back home safe.

“I cannot say much as the embassy is investigating the matter,” the mother said.

“She was shaken, but is much better now and waiting for the embassy on the way forward as to whether it is safe for her to go back.”

Kaambo told The Namibian yesterday that she is fine now, and will not run away since she did nothing wrong.
“My father wanted me to come back. I decided to stay in Zimbabwe as I am serious with my schooling,” she said, adding that the experience was quite scary.

“I am over it now,” she added.

The girls were allegedly tricked by the women that someone had sent them cosmetics which they should collect, according to Zimbabwean daily The Chronicle.

The girls were driven to a certain location, where they were stripped and beaten with rubber slippers. After the assault, they were allegedly driven to another location, where they were forced to soil their clothes before they were released.