The trial of a 28-year-old man, who denied to having raped, strangled and killed Magdalena Gamras in June 2016 at Gobabis, could not proceed yesterday due to the unavailability of the prosecutor.
Rooinasie Masuna’s case was on the court roll for submissions before judgement in the Windhoek High Court, but the court was informed by prosecutor Marthino Olivier that the assigned prosecutor is currently placed under isolation for 14 days due to Covid-19.
Judge Kobus Miller made the order to have the matter postponed to 10 September for submissions.
Last month, Masuna pleaded not guilty to one count of murder read with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act and one count of rape.
It is alleged by the State that Masuna strangled to death Gamras who, was aged 26, and she was eight months pregnant at the time on 9 June 2016 after he had raped her.
The State claims that Gamras went out with her friends during the fateful night, and during the late-night hours or early morning hours of the next morning, she decided to walk home alone.
On her way, the State charges, she met Masuna, who raped her and then strangled her with his bare hands, causing her to die as a result of manual strangulation.
Denying the allegations, Masuna claims that the last time he saw the victim, she was still alive, although in a drunken state and on the verge of unconsciousness.
He told the court that on the morning of 9 June 2016, he went to work and left the victim at home. When he returned from work that afternoon, the victim was not at home and he went looking for her, eventually finding her at a bar, where she was drinking in the company of other men.
They then proceeded to walk home – and after walking for a while, she went to relieve herself. When she returned, an argument erupted between them. According to Masuna, the victim grabbed him on his shirt collar and he put both his hands around her throat and started squeezing to break her hold on him.
He further claims he throttled her for about three minutes so she can let go of him. However, when he released his grip, she collapsed onto the ground in a sitting position and he left. Masuna, who is currently in police custody, is represented by Mbanga Siyomunji.
– mamakali@nepc.com.na