WINDHOEK – The third suspect in the Hochland Park murder and various robberies committed during the last week of September appeared before Magistrate Tuvoye Nuule in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court last Friday.
Behji Lebereki alias ‘Cowen’ was not asked to plead and his right to legal representation was explained to him. Lebereki indicated he would apply for legal aid.
Information available suggests he was caught in the act of yet another housebreaking after evading arrest for a couple of weeks.
He will now be added as the accused to the charges faced by his co-accused for a spate of armed robberies in the last week of September that culminated in the senseless killing of University of Namibia employee Gideon “Jimmy” Shililifa.
His two co-accused, Gideon Kalume (24) and Samuel Linelao Shawelaka (19), already made a first appearance before Magistrate Helvi Shilemba on Friday October 11 on two counts of breaking and entering with intent to rob and robbery and one count of murder. They were not asked to plead and magistrate Shilemba postponed the matter to December 12 for further investigation and for both accused to apply for legal aid.
Lebereki faces an additional charge of housebreaking.
As with Kalume and Shaweleka the State strenuously objected to bail on the grounds that Lebereki faces serious offences as well as the fact that investigations are still at an infancy stage.
Commissioner Sylvanus Ngishindimbwa told New Era the police arrested another suspect, but they could not formulate charges against him for lack of evidence.
During their court appearance both Kalume and Shawelaka seemed nervous and cagey and kept their faces covered before, during and after magistrate Shilemba’s arrival and departure.
Kalume strongly objected to taking part in the murder, stressing that he only “knows” about the robbery charges.
The State alleges Kalume, Shawelaka and Lebereki broke into a flat in Ausspanplatz on September 23 armed with a firearm and knife and stole items worth more than N$37 000. The second count relates to a break-in at Mozart Manor in Windhoek West in which four persons held the occupants at gun and knife point and robbed them of two laptops, a flatscreen TV, a Playstation and four cellphones.
It is further alleged they made off with a Golf 5 which was later used in the killing of Shililifa and found abandoned in Otjomuise.
By Roland Routh