Iuze Mukube
A 45-year-old resident of Rehoboth on Monday tendered a not guilty plea before Windhoek High Court Judge Dinnah Usiku denying that he unlawfully and intentionally stabbed his brother with a knife on the chest.
Riaan Andrew van Wyk is facing a charge of murder and another of attempted murder.
The state alleges that on 13 November 2021 in the district of Rehoboth, Van Wyk did unlawfully and intentionally kill Frederik van Wyk (51). It further alleges on the second count of attempted murder that Van Wyk unlawfully assaulted Stephanus van Wyk (49) by stabbing him with a knife in the area of his armpit with the intention to murder him.
Van Wyk, the deceased and Stephanus were biological brothers. In the court documents, it reads that during the afternoon of a Saturday, on 13 November 2021, the three were at a resident in Rehoboth. During their stay at this residence, Van Wyk, who was armed with a knife, stabbed the deceased in the chest and then stabbed Stephanus in the area of his armpit. The deceased died on the scene from the injuries sustained from the stabbing.
It further reads that the accused left the scene after the stabbing and was later arrested on the same day and found still in possession of a knife.
He gave an oral plea explanation stating that he was acting in self-defence during the incidence and that he always carries a knife with him in his pocket.