WINDHOEK – A young man from Karasburg in the //Kharas Region was yesterday sent to jail for an effective 60 years for double murder, among other charges.
Jacobus Jossop was convicted in the High Court in Windhoek of two murders and various attempted murders and assaults, malicious damage to property and defeating or attempting to defeat the course of justice.
In considering the sentence, Judge Nate Ndauendapo said he looked at the nature of the crime, the personal circumstances of the accused and the interest of society.
He said that Jossop had shown no remorse for his actions and that the court wants to send a clear and strong message that criminals will be severely punished.
“Two innocent human beings lost their lives at the hands of the accused,” the judge said and continued: “The courts are trying their level best to impose severe sentences to send a clear message that murderers will be dealt with severely.”
He said that high levels of crime invariably result in the public demanding that ever more severe sentences be imposed on perpetrators.
According to the judge he fully endorses the sentiments of the state prosecutor, Erich Moyo, that murder is a very serious offence and once a life is lost it can never be recovered – it is gone forever.
According to Judge Ndauendapo two innocent human beings, in the prime of their lives, were killed for no reason really.
He said the deceased were butchered in the most brutal manner imaginable with a sheep shears and a big homemade knife, which were used to inflict multiple wounds on the upper part of their bodies.
“What makes the conduct of the accused so despicable in that after he was arrested for the murder of the deceased, he was released on bail and whilst on bail, he attempted to murder another victim and seriously assaulted two more victims,” the judge said.
He added: “That clearly shows that the accused is a danger to society and must be sent to prison for a very long time.”Judge Ndauendapo said although counsel, Eva Shifotoka, submitted that Jossop was sorry for his actions, it was not genuine remorse. “If he was genuinely sorry it must come out of his mouth and from his behaviour. I observed the accused when he testified and he has not shown any remorse for his actions,” the judge emphasised.
He further said that after weighing Jossop’s personal circumstances against the heinous crimes he committed, he found nothing out of the ordinary.
According to the judge criminals don’t have a place in society and belong in prison. He said that Namibians want a safe society for everyone and therefore the court should impose severe sentences. Jossop was sentenced to 30 years each for the murders, five years for the assault with intent to cause GBH (grievous bodily harm), one year for malicious damage to property, five years for the second assault GBH, ten years for attempted murder, another five years for the third assault GBH and one year for attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice.
The judge ordered that the sentences on the last six convictions run concurrently with the sentences for the two murders which means an effective 60-year jail term.
Jossop was convicted of killing Isak Shikongo and Johannes Matroos just minutes apart on January 23, 2009 at farm Klein Wortel in the Karasburg district. He was further convicted of assaulting Gregorius Morongwe Brunzel by headbutting him the same evening and that he broke a radio and set on fire a duvet, mattress and clothing belonging to his aunt Johanna and Matroos.
He was further convicted of attempted murder in that he stabbed Richelin Snewe and Indira Bloodstaan and he hit Belinda Guriras on the head with a bottle on December 21, 2011 in Keetmanshoop with the aim to murder them.
The defeating of justice charge stems from the stabbing of Snewe as the latter was a witness in the murder trial.
Jossop admitted he stabbed the deceased and damaged the property, but denied that he committed the other offences.
In his defence he said both the deceased provoked him.