Iuze Mukube 

Three men, who allegedly brutally attacked and killed a man before fleeing off with his vehicle in 2024, pleaded not guilty to all charges in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Monday. 

Erastus Mwalipeni Gabriel (39), Iyambo Nicodemus Hango (20) and Abast Nyanyukweni Alex Muya (25) all face charges of murder, robbery and theft of a motor vehicle. 

Hango and Muya face an additional charge of possession of suspected stolen property. 

The allegations stem from an incident that occurred on 2 March 2024 in Windhoek, where Stanley Sebastian Cloete was allegedly assaulted and killed by the three accused. 

The State alleges that the trio, with the intention to force Cloete into submission, assaulted him by tying him up on both arms and legs. 

They stabbed him with a sharp object and made off with various properties valued at more than N$69 000. The accused further, in the Havana Location in Windhoek, stole and fled in a black Nissan [motor vehicle] valued at N$70 000, which was in the lawful possession of Cloete. 

On 7 March 2024, Hango and Muya were found in possession of goods that were suspected to have been stolen from the victim. 

They were charged with the offence, as they were unable to give a satisfactory account of such possession. 

The accused pleaded not guilty to all counts on preliminary examination and gave no plea explanation, placing the onus on the State. 

Magistrate Jurina Hochobes postponed the matter to 29 August 2025 for a decision by the prosecutor-general on whether the case will be transferred to the High Court for trial. 

The State is represented by Rowan van Wyk. 

The three accused remain in custody. 

– mukubeiuze@gmail.com