WINDHOEK – Jeffrey Barman, 22, who is accused of killing his girlfriend at their daughter’s birthday party will have to wait until next month to find out when his trial will start.
The trial of Barman who allegedly cut the throat of Malanie Booysen, the mother of his four-year-old daughter, on November 10, 2012 seems to have been re-allocated to Judge Christi Liebenberg from Judge Nate Ndauendapo.
During Barman’s last pre-trial appearance before Judge President Petrus Damaseb it was decided that Judge Ndauendapo was to be the presiding judge, but it seems that his over-congested diary, which effectively meant that Barman’s trial was possibly only to start in 2016, effected a change.
While Barman’s state funded lawyer, Willem Visser, informed the Judge President during Barman’s last pre-trial appearance in April that he had replied to the State’s pre-trial memoranda and was ready to proceed with trial, he could not be at court on Tuesday and was said to be attending to his sick mother in South Africa.
Cliff Lutibezi will handle the State’s case and also informed the Judge President that the State was ready.
Barman faces one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder, one count of assault with intent to do grievious bodily harm and one count of common assault.
It is alleged in the indictment that he killed Booysen who was 20 years old at the time of her demise during a birthday party for their daughter.
According to the summary of substantial facts he stabbed the deceased with a broken glass in the neck causing her to bleed to death. After the stabbing he allegedly pushed the deceased’s mother, Susanna Aletta Booysen, into a fence and also stabbed the deceased’s brother, Charlton Swartz, in the face with a glass before fleeing the scene.
It is further alleged Barman, after he was released on bail, hit Albertus Fransiscus Duncan with a crutch over his body and head and also stabbed Duncan with a knife with the intent to kill him.
Barman was arrested the same evening at around 17h00 after he managed to climb onto the roof of a neighbour and then jumped off, fracturing his leg.
He was granted bail in May, 2013 after spending six months in jail.
His freedom was short-lived however as he was arrested again on August 09, 2013 after he allegedly first beat his cousin Duncan with a crutch before stabbing him.
Barman has been in custody since his arrest for the second stabbing incident.
By Roland Routh