A former GAA star and Irish police officer has been beaten, shot and killed in an attack in the African state of Namibia.

Ray Prendiville won a Munster championship medal with his native Kerry in 1975 and had retired from the Irish police force several years ago.

He was remembered during a minute’s silence at Croke Park on Sunday ahead of the All-Ireland semi-final between Dublin and Kerry.

Five men are being question by local police in Namibia after the murder.

The Irish Independent
reports that Prendiville was gunned down in a flat in the tourist resort area of Walvis Bay, a town with a population of around 85,000.

Local police are questioning five employees of a logistics company co-owned by Prendiville who had only arrived in the country five days earlier according to local deputy police commissioner Ottilie Kashuupulwa.

She said: “Mr Prendiville arrived here on August 26 at the invitation of his business partner. They co-own a business known as SMF Investment.

“His business partner survived the incident which happened at his flat in Hage Geingob Street.”

Police believe that a group of men, two wearing camouflage uniforms, burst into the flat shortly before the shooting.

The report says hundreds of foreign security companies operate throughout Namibia working in the diamond, gold and silver mining industries.

Irish parliamentarian Tom Fleming told the paper that he knew the murdered man.

Fleming said: “He was an outstanding footballer. He wore the Kerry jersey, back with the advent of the great Kerry team of the early 70s.

“Ray would have a Munster Championship medal and he also played with the local club back in Scartaglen and was also with the garda (police) team in the Dublin county championship.”

Prendiville scored a goal for Kerry in his only senior championship appearance in a win against Tipperary in June 1975.

Kerry GAA spokesman John O’Leary said: “My personal recollection of Ray was that game against Tipp. There were very few hopes for the team in 1975 but they went up there and barely scraped out of it.

“That win spurred the team on and they went on to win the All-Ireland that year.”