A 38-year-old truck co-driver, Eliud Hamukwaya, was fatally shot by a police officer at the Onhuno Road Traffic Checkpoint in Namibia’s Ohangwena Region late on Sunday night, 11 May 2025.
The shooting occurred around 22h00 during a routine inspection of a southbound Scania truck at the checkpoint.
According to the Namibian Police, the situation escalated when the driver failed to produce weighbridge documents.
Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, spokesperson for the Namibian Police, detailed the incident in a statement released Monday.
Shikwambi explained that after the truck was stopped, the driver presented his licence but failed to provide weighbridge papers, prompting the officer to instruct the driver to park the vehicle.
While the officer was still engaging with the main driver, Hamukwaya, the co-driver, allegedly approached and began hurling insults, accusing the officer of unfair targeting.
The officer then ordered the crew to return to the weighbridge.
Hamukwaya reportedly got into the truck, turned it around to face north, and parked it before returning to the scene to continue the altercation.
A fight reportedly broke out but was broken up by the main driver.
The situation took a tragic turn when Hamukwaya allegedly jumped into the truck and drove it directly at a female officer manning the checkpoint.
She managed to flee, but a male officer responded by opening fire.
A bullet struck Hamukwaya in the abdomen, and he died on the spot.
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Deputy Commissioner Theophillius Willem, the acting Regional Commander in Ohangwena, confirmed the incident and said it happened at 11:30pm.
He described the incident as “unfortunate” and confirmed that investigations are ongoing.
The officer who fired the shot, a 43-year-old Sergeant, has since been arrested pending the outcome of the investigation.
Willem assured the public that more details will be shared once a full police report is finalised.
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