Maria Amakali
Windhoek-Anthea Arnold, the woman accused of shooting and killing her German ex-lover six years ago tendered her apologies when she took the stand for the first time to defend herself in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Katutura on Thursday.
“I am so sorry for the harm I might have caused to any person, the kids and family members of the deceased for what had happened,” Arnold said in her testimony during the retrial.
The 32-year-old faces a charge of murder for allegedly intentionally killing her former lover, Michael Breder, 52, in a car in Windhoek’s Southern Industrial Area on May 14, 2011.
According to the prosecution, Breder was shot in the back from a distance of less than 15 centimetres. The bullet that struck him passed through his spinal column, aorta and heart, according to the post-mortem report.
Arnold, who appeared before Magistrate Ileni Velikoshi from custody, has denied guilt, saying she acted in self-defence although she did not dispute that she fired the fatal shot.
“I really had no intention of killing or harming the deceased. I did not go to the deceased’s house with a weapon. I found it there,” she explained.
Taking the stand for the first time, Arnold revealed that she and the deceased were in a relationship for four years, but ended things in 2007. She further indicated that when she got a call from Breder, she was a married woman.
Speaking from the witness stand, Arnold said on the date in question she got a message from the hotel receptionist where she worked, informing her that a man had been calling several times looking for her.
“He said that he was calling me for a braai taking place at his place in Southern Industrial Area,” she recalled. She added that she was reluctant to go, but decided to call him in the afternoon to confirm she will be attending.
Upon arrival at his house, she found Breder busy working on one of his clients’ cars and he informed her to take a seat in a Mercedes Benz in the yard. Breder was a spraypainter and panelbeater for by profession. She noticed Breder had been drinking. Arnold said he asked her to drive to Pionierspark to deliver a client’s car. After the delivery, they decided to pass by Super Spar at Maerua Mall, where they bought meat, cigarettes and beer.
Before the fatal incident, she had drunk four Tafel Lager beers (330ml) and Breder was drinking wine. Upon arrival back at Breder’s home he reportedly told her to stay put in the car.
“I firstly sat in the passenger seat before he told me to change seats and I moved to the backseat. While seated in the car the deceased started asking questions about my relationship with my husband at the time,” recalled Arnold.
According to her, she decided to keep quiet and not answer any of his questions, but Breder got angry.
“I then informed him that since there was no sign of a braai ever happening, it was better if I left, but he started insulting me and [saying] how stupid I was. He kept on telling me that I was his wife and I belonged to him,” vividly narrated Arnold.
Arnold added that Breder started strangling and assaulting her. He allegedly slapped her multiple times in the face, even though she tried to shield her face.
“When the assault stopped, I lifted up my face to see the deceased holding a gun. I immediately grabbed the gun and fired one shot.” She said there was no protracted struggle for the gun. She simply fired out of fear for her life.
Since Arnold was the last person to take the stand in the case and taking into account that the State closed its case against Arnold in August, Velikoshi postponed the matter to September 29 for final submissions.