Deputy Inspector General of the Police Elias Mutota has said the police have launched a special operation to prevent more crimes and to find those responsible for the murders of two minors and a teenager at Okahandja.

Major General Mutota, while speaking on the nbc's Wheels of Justice programme, revealed that 12 people of interest have been identified, but no arrests have been made yet.

Mutota was, however, quick to point out that the murders that followed each other do not warrant a state of emergency and said that there is no curfew in place at Okahandja.

He said that Okahandja is not under a "police regime". Instead, the Namibian Police Force is working closely with the local community to gather information and support investigations.

"There are regulations which the President has to make to regulate the state of emergency or the curfew. But at this point in time, as I said, the order has been given. We have just a general police presence on the ground. This initiative is actually a crime prevention programme that is included in the operational order. But we don't chase people to go to sleep. We don't close clubs. We don't close bars. We only enforce the Liquor Act once the time for closing the bars and the shopping has elapsed. However, as I said, so far, we are getting full cooperation from the public."

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced last week that law enforcement would remain in control of Okahandja until the situation improves and residents feel safe again.

Police officers are now present across the town and even on nearby roads to monitor movements and stop further crimes like housebreakings, drug trafficking, and stock theft, Mutota explained.

He described the murders as deeply concerning, but they did not yet meet the threshold for declaring a state of emergency. 

"A state of emergency, under Article 26 of the Namibian Constitution, is only declared when the entire nation's safety or constitutional order is at risk. Right now, we are focused on stopping these crimes and making sure they never happen again."

The police operation will continue until the Inspector General of the police, Joseph Shikongo, decides it is no longer necessary. 

In the meantime, the police are urging residents to stay alert and continue working with law enforcement to help bring justice to the victims.