The Department of Legal Aid in the Ministry of Justice has refused to pay a psychiatrist to testify in a murder trial involving one of his patients.
Similarly, the ministry also declined to foot the bill of N$43 000 Dr Reinhardt Sieberhagen is charging to testify in the murder trial of former teacher Patrick Geingob, accused of killing his wife.
Geingob was a patient of Sieberhagen who diagnosed him with major depressive disorder, a mental defect. However, during a court-sanctioned mental observation, Dr Hileni Ndjaba, a State psychiatrist ,declared him fit to stand trial, as he is able to follow court proceedings and offer a defence. Geingob claims he suffered from non-pathological incapacity during the attack caused by his intake of alcohol while experiencing a depressive mood attack. This, he said, makes him unaccountable for his actions at that moment. He is accused of killing Merentha Geingos on 14 April 2019 by stabbing her at least 12 times with a kitchen knife at their house in Okuryangava in front of their children. Geingob, a former teacher, pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and defeating or obstructing the course of justice, one count of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and one count of common assault, at the start of his trial. He claimed that he was not guilty on the first two charges because of a diagnosis that he suffered from major depression syndrome during the incident. With regard to the assault charges, he said he is not guilty due to the vagueness of the dates of the alleged incidents. He further indicated that he will not provide a plea explanation and will remain silent. During Geingob’s failed bail hearing, the court was informed that he arrived home late that night, and had an argument with Geingos, which resulted in him stabbing her. Court documents state that Geingos and their children were asleep on the night in question when Geingob arrived, and loudly demanded entrance into the residence. Geingos opened the door, voiced her displeasure at his behaviour, and went to the bedroom. Geingob then allegedly went to the kitchen, and armed himself with a knife and attacked her. People who resided on the same erf managed to take the knife from him, whereafter he went to a friend’s place and got rid of the clothes, it is further alleged. Thereafter, Geingob handed himself over to the police, and has been in custody since. The 40-year-old Geingob had already undergone two mental observations which declared him fit to stand trial, although a private psychiatrist has found that Geingob suffered from a mental defect when he allegedly butchered his wife.
He now wants the private psychiatrist, Sieberhagen, to testify on his mental capacity during the attack. After Windhoek High Court Judge Herman January was informed about the refusal of the ministry to pay for attendance of Sieberhagen, he postponed the matter to 7 March next year on the request of Geingob for him to try and source the money to pay for the psychiatrist.
The State is represented by Seredine Jacobs and Geingob by Jermaine Muchali, on instructions of Legal Aid.