Selma Ikela
Windhoek-The woman who fatally stabbed her cousin in a fight over maize meal was denied bail in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
The suspect, Paulina Dreyers, 25, made a routine court appearance on a charge of murder read with the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act.
Dreyers fatally stabbed her cousin Natasha ‘Meide’ Geingos, 27, once in the chest on Saturday in Okahandja Park informal settlement shortly after a fight erupted over beef and maize meal, which Dreyers received from the food bank.
According to a relative Immanuel Witbeen, who witnessed the fight, the suspect (Dreyers) and Geingos returned home together from a shebeen. He said the two were inside the shack when the deceased asked the suspect for some maize meal because she was hungry, but Dreyers refused her request.
“The deceased then took the maize meal and poured it on the floor and Dreyers in a blink of an eye drew a knife and stabbed the deceased once. It happened in front of me. I have never seen a woman use a knife like that,” narrated Witbeen. After the stabbing, Dreyers fled from the scene but she was arrested at a relative’s house on Sunday.
Dreyers, a mother of two children, aged five and three, shortly after appearing in court said she did not intentionally stab her cousin. Dreyers said she had pleaded with the deceased to stop pestering her as she walked out of the shack, but the deceased followed her and that was when she drew a knife.
Dreyers appeared in front of Magistrate Michelle Kubersky, who denied her bail as the offence is of a serious nature.
Kubersky also denied the suspect bail because it’s not in the interest of the public and justice. Kubersky added the bail can only be considered should the accused apply for formal bail.
The case was postponed to July 4 for further police investigations and to enable the suspect to apply for legal aid.