Find Spencer: Lüderitz boy still missing 10 months later
In a little more than seven weeks, many Namibians will celebrate Christmas with family and friends, and Spencer Mandela Nakale’s parents have only one wish: To see their son again, and to hug him.
JANA-MARI SMITH
WINDHOEK
Ten months after the sudden disappearance of three-year-old Spencer Mandela Nakale in Lüderitz’s Area 7, police say no trace of the boy - or details surrounding his disappearance - have been found.
“The investigation is still ongoing, but there are no leads yet to assist in finding the boy,” //Karas police deputy commissioner Chrispin Mubebo said this week.
Spencer went missing on 28 December 2020 from an aunt’s house where he had enjoyed a sleepover the night before. He turned four in February.
Mubebo said police have conducted a thorough investigation, despite the lack of results or progress to locate the boy.
The investigation included interviews with neighbours and friends, investigating passenger records at Lüderitz’s harbour and airport, and reaching out to Interpol.
“All of this did not yield any result,” he said.
The regional police chief said the absence of any evidence of what happened to Spencer is “devastating, not only for the parents, but even for us”.
“To lose a child is not easy. We continue to urge the public to share any information, even if it seems insignificant to them, to help us find him.”
He also reminded the public of the N$50 000 award which remains in place for any information leading to discovering Spencer’s whereabouts.
Clinging to hope
As the one-year anniversary of their son’s unexplained disappearance approaches, Spencer’s father Nelson Nakale clings to hope that he will come home.
“I still have hope that one day I will see him again. This cannot go on,” he said.
For Nakale, finding Spencer should be a priority not only for the police and the family, but the Namibian community as a whole.
“We have to find him. A child does not only belong to a father and a mother, but to the community. Spencer is my boy, but he is also a Namibian. We must protect our people, our kids.”
Both parents said the tragedy has scarred them deeply.
Filled with anger
“This is the worst thing that has happened in my life. I was someone with a lot of hope; I was excited about life. But since December, everything just changed. I don’t even know what is the meaning of life any more. For the past months, I feel empty inside,” mum Julia Ndafyaalako said.
“I am just filled with anger, pain, heartache, regret. I try to live each day as it comes, and I try to avoid thinking of what will happen tomorrow.”
Nakale said he is trying to stay strong so that he is ready when Spencer is found.
“Since that day, I am no longer the person I used to be. But I need to be strong, so that I can fight to see my boy again.”
In a little more than seven weeks, as many Namibians celebrate Christmas with family and friends, Nakale has only one wish.
“I wish to see him again, that is all I wish for. To see him, and hug him.”
Ndafyaalako said she dreads the first anniversary of her son’s disappearance. “I only hope that I will be able to survive the next two months.”
Help us
Both parents are calling on the police, the public and specialists to help them in their ongoing efforts to find their son and to map new avenues of investigation.
Anonymous tip boxes have been installed at shops in Lüderitz, and they urge private investigators willing to assist to retrace the initial investigation’s steps.
Ndafyaalako hopes that a fresh investigation, including of harbour and airport records, could pinpoint Spencer’s movements that day.
They praised members of the public who have continued to distribute Spencer’s photos and information to help keep the search going, and added that while the police helped initially, they are not kept up to date on the current investigation, and are not sure if work has continued to find their boy.
If you have any information on Spencer or his disappearance, contact Nakale at 081 219 3691, Ndafyaalako at 081 695 4974 or Mubebo at 081 268 8888.
WINDHOEK
Ten months after the sudden disappearance of three-year-old Spencer Mandela Nakale in Lüderitz’s Area 7, police say no trace of the boy - or details surrounding his disappearance - have been found.
“The investigation is still ongoing, but there are no leads yet to assist in finding the boy,” //Karas police deputy commissioner Chrispin Mubebo said this week.
Spencer went missing on 28 December 2020 from an aunt’s house where he had enjoyed a sleepover the night before. He turned four in February.
Mubebo said police have conducted a thorough investigation, despite the lack of results or progress to locate the boy.
The investigation included interviews with neighbours and friends, investigating passenger records at Lüderitz’s harbour and airport, and reaching out to Interpol.
“All of this did not yield any result,” he said.
The regional police chief said the absence of any evidence of what happened to Spencer is “devastating, not only for the parents, but even for us”.
“To lose a child is not easy. We continue to urge the public to share any information, even if it seems insignificant to them, to help us find him.”
He also reminded the public of the N$50 000 award which remains in place for any information leading to discovering Spencer’s whereabouts.
Clinging to hope
As the one-year anniversary of their son’s unexplained disappearance approaches, Spencer’s father Nelson Nakale clings to hope that he will come home.
“I still have hope that one day I will see him again. This cannot go on,” he said.
For Nakale, finding Spencer should be a priority not only for the police and the family, but the Namibian community as a whole.
“We have to find him. A child does not only belong to a father and a mother, but to the community. Spencer is my boy, but he is also a Namibian. We must protect our people, our kids.”
Both parents said the tragedy has scarred them deeply.
Filled with anger
“This is the worst thing that has happened in my life. I was someone with a lot of hope; I was excited about life. But since December, everything just changed. I don’t even know what is the meaning of life any more. For the past months, I feel empty inside,” mum Julia Ndafyaalako said.
“I am just filled with anger, pain, heartache, regret. I try to live each day as it comes, and I try to avoid thinking of what will happen tomorrow.”
Nakale said he is trying to stay strong so that he is ready when Spencer is found.
“Since that day, I am no longer the person I used to be. But I need to be strong, so that I can fight to see my boy again.”
In a little more than seven weeks, as many Namibians celebrate Christmas with family and friends, Nakale has only one wish.
“I wish to see him again, that is all I wish for. To see him, and hug him.”
Ndafyaalako said she dreads the first anniversary of her son’s disappearance. “I only hope that I will be able to survive the next two months.”
Help us
Both parents are calling on the police, the public and specialists to help them in their ongoing efforts to find their son and to map new avenues of investigation.
Anonymous tip boxes have been installed at shops in Lüderitz, and they urge private investigators willing to assist to retrace the initial investigation’s steps.
Ndafyaalako hopes that a fresh investigation, including of harbour and airport records, could pinpoint Spencer’s movements that day.
They praised members of the public who have continued to distribute Spencer’s photos and information to help keep the search going, and added that while the police helped initially, they are not kept up to date on the current investigation, and are not sure if work has continued to find their boy.
If you have any information on Spencer or his disappearance, contact Nakale at 081 219 3691, Ndafyaalako at 081 695 4974 or Mubebo at 081 268 8888.
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