WINDHOEK – A former Global Fund employee accused of killing his supervisor and wounding an ex-colleague is still without legal representation after the lawyer instructed by Legal Aid Henry Shimutikweni refused the instruction.
Windhoek High Court Judge Christie Liebenberg yesterday postponed the matter of Simataa Merlvin Simasiku, 34, to the next mentions roll on 13 February, after he was informed that Shimutwikeni returned the brief to Legal Aid.
An official of Legal Aid informed the judge that the directorate would appoint another legal representative for Simasiku as soon as possible.
Simasiku is charged with one count of murder and one count of attempted murder, alternatively negligent discharge of a firearm and discharging of a firearm in public.
The charges emanate from a shooting incident on 28 January last year when Simasiku walked into the offices of Global Fund at the City Centre and fired off five shots, one of which killed his boss Sarah Lungowe Mwilima and another seriously wounding his colleague Ester Ndahekelekwa Nepolo.
During a subsequent bail application, Simasiku said he acted in self-defense when he fired the shots, but stopped short of explaining, only saying: “The truth will be revealed during the trial.”
According to the summary of substantial facts in the indictment, the accused went to his workplace on the second floor of the City Centre Building armed with a pistol and seven live rounds.
Thereafter, he went to the eighth floor where Mwilima and Nepolo had their offices and fired at least three to four shots at Mwilima that struck her in the chest, neck and arm, causing her to die on the scene due to the injuries sustained from the gunshots, it is stated.
He then fired one shot at Nepolo, which struck her in the neck and he then left the scene, collected his child at daycare and took the child to his residence, the indictment further reads.
It is further stated that Simasiku then drove to a police station where he reported the shooting and handed his firearm, holster, two bullets and his firearm license to the police.
The state is further saying that Simasiku had no justifiable reasons to discharge his firearm in public.
State Advocate Cliff Lutibezi represented the state during the pre-trial hearing.
Simasiku remains in custody after his bail application was refused by Magistrate Vanessa Stanley.