As the legal storm surrounding former agriculture minister Mac Hengari deepens, a new twist has emerged. A 40-year-old man from Windhoek, Joseph ‘Daylight’ Mungandjera, is publicly claiming to be the biological father of the infant at the centre of the rape case.
Hengari was arrested in April this year following a sting operation that reportedly caught him attempting to bribe the complainant, a 21-year-old woman who accuses him of sexual assault. He was found in possession of N$220 000, allegedly meant to persuade her to drop the charges. The woman’s brother was also arrested in connection with the incident.
Mungandjera says he has been sidelined from the matter, despite voluntarily submitting a DNA sample five months ago when investigators contacted him in Rundu.
“I’ve done my part. I gave my DNA and a full statement. But since then, no one has come back to me not even to confirm if the results are out,” he told a local news outlet.
According to Mungandjera, he was in a relationship with the young woman for several months in 2023. He claims they lived together during her pregnancy and jointly prepared for the baby’s birth.
“We were very close. We went to antenatal check-ups together and bought baby clothes. Her family was aware that I was the father,” he said. “She was a nursing student at the time and used to visit my shop daily after classes.”
However, after the criminal case involving Hengari was opened, things reportedly changed. Mungandjera claims the woman warned him that he could be in danger and advised him to leave town. He said he fled to Rundu out of fear, believing his life was at risk.
“She showed me messages that people were looking for me. I was afraid for my safety, so I left everything and disappeared,” he said.
Mungandjera said the woman had opened up to him that she had been raped in 2019 and was later forced to undergo an abortion.
Mungandjera further alleged that the complainant’s family, particularly her mother and brother, began receiving monthly payments from Hengari, allegedly to cover medical expenses caused by the assault.
“The mother was receiving N$10 000 a month. But when I started showing up again, the money stopped. That’s when the atmosphere changed,” he claimed.
Despite his willingness to cooperate with authorities, Mungandjera said he has been left in the dark and denied access to the child, who he firmly believes is his biological daughter.
“I’ve never held my child. No one from the police or social workers has even called me back. If they doubt the results, they can do another DNA test. I have nothing to hide,” he said.
Mungandjera dismissed speculation that he is being used by political or legal actors to discredit the complainant’s claims or shift focus from Hengari’s trial.
“This has nothing to do with politics or trying to protect anyone. I just want the truth to come out and to be part of my child’s life,” he insisted. “I’m asking the government to make sure the process is fair and transparent.”
The case continues to generate public interest as it touches not only on serious criminal allegations against a former cabinet minister but also on the emotional and legal complexities of paternity, family rights, and justice.
