Windhoek
A 66-year-old man, charged with two separate counts of murder, came under cross-examination this week during which he denied a series of accusations he faces.
State Advocate Ethel Ndlovu cross-examined Eliakim Nampindi, who in the Windhoek High Court pleaded not guilty to the murder charges and one count of attempted murder.
It is alleged that he killed Paul Fredericks, 46, at Hoachanas in the Mariental district on March 5, 2009 and his (Nampindi’s) girlfriend Anetta Jantjies in August 2011 at Kalkrand.
He is also charged with attempting to kill Salmon Rooinasie by stabbing him with a knife or sharp object in his back on the night of Jantjies’ killing.
According to Nampindi he was in his room at a farm where he was employed as a sheep herder when Fredericks called him by saying ‘you Owambo come out, I will kill you tonight’.
He said when he wanted to exit the room to run away from Fredericks, he could not as the deceased blocked his way and hit him with an iron bar on his left arm.
He said that to defend himself he reached for a knife from a table and stabbed the deceased once in the chest.
Fredericks then ran away towards the house of one Poppie Boois, where he remained while waiting for the police.
He said the deceased had at times wanted to take some sheep that belonged to his (Nampindi’s) employer, Maria Boois, allegedly on instructions from Poppie – the daughter of Maria and the employer of Fredericks, but he (Nampindi) refused and informed Maria about it.
He said that could have been the reason why Fredericks called him out.
Nampindi was arrested and spent the next year in prison at Kalkrand until he was granted bail in 2008.
Nampindi was adamant that the incident happened in February 2007 and not March 2009 as listed in the indictment.
Upon his release he found employment at Schlip as a builder.
While he was working at Schlip he met and fell in love with Anetta Jantjies, 38, and they entered into an intimate relationship.
According to Nampindi, on the night of Jantjies’ death, he arrived at Jantjies’ house and found her having sexual intercourse with Rooinasie, the man he is charged with attempting to kill.
Jantjies allegedly tried to separate the two men and was killed in the process. Rooinasie was stabbed in the back, Nampindi testified.
He vehemently denied the evidence of both Rooinasie and the daughter of the deceased, Rosalia Jantjies, that he arrived while Rooinasie was busy making a fire and stabbed him in the back.
The case continues and Nampindi is represented by Mbanga Siyomunji on instructions of legal aid.