WINDHOEK – “Violence against women, the most vulnerable members of our society continues unabated. The courts are trying their level best to impose severe sentences to send a clear message that murderers will be dealt with severely.”
This was said by Judge Nate Ndauendapo before he sentenced convicted killer, Elifas Hailonga, to 35 years in prison for the murder of his (Halilonga’s) pregnant girlfriend.
Judge Ndauendapo found Hailonga guilty on July 22 of murder with direct intent and common assault for the fatal stabbing of his then five-month pregnant girlfriend, 23-year-old Helena Nghipunyati. The deceased died in front of her shack in the Mondesa suburb of Swakopmund on December 16, 2011 after being stabbed in the back with a knife with a 12-inch blade.
During the judgment the judge rejected Hailonga’s version that he only threw the knife at the deceased and he did not touch her as “utterly false” as there were two witnesses who clearly saw him punching her in the face prior to the horrific stabbing. Hailonga admitted his guilt when he made an appearance before a magistrate in Swakopmund, but later changed his mind.
Judge Ndauendapo further sentenced Hailonga to one-year imprisonment for the assault charge, but ordered that it run concurrently with the murder sentence.
The judge said the fact that the deceased was heavily pregnant with Hailonga’s child was very aggravating.
According to the judge the deceased was a defenceless and innocent human being who died at the hands of her boyfriend. He said the sentence to be imposed must reflect the true nature and seriousness of the crime.
“Every person’s right to life is entrenched in our constitution and the accused violently took that away from her,” the judge said and continued that what makes the crime so particularly heinous is that the foetus was fully developed.
He said the doctor’s testimony that the stab wound that caused the deceased’s demise was of considerable force plus the fact that Hailonga armed himself with such a big knife and stabbed the deceased where she was behind a curtain showed that the murder was pre-meditated, and that was aggravating.
He noted that Hailonga had not shown genuine remorse, instead continuing with his lies that he did not stab the deceased.
According to the judge he weighed up all the factors including the fact that Hailonga is only 37 years old, was a first offender with six minor children and paid compensation to the family of the deceased, but that the aggravating factors and the interest of society must also be considered.