Iuze Mukube
Already serving lengthy prison sentences for unrelated offences, two Outjo residents were dealt a double blow last week after High Court Judge Nate Ndauendapo slapped them with an additional 30 years’ imprisonment for murder.
Lourense Aib (32) and Hendrick Nowoseb (34) were convicted of murder, attempted murder, rape and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The charges were in relation to the two and another, Ferdinand Hangula, who has since died, forcefully entering a tuck shop on 25 October 2014 in the district of Outjo and attacking and killing Gerhardus Petrus Koekemoer (71).
In addition, they also assaulted a former fiancé of the deceased with a knife and strangled her until she lost consciousness with the intent to murder and sexually assaulted her too.
They also stole N$25 in cash, Tango recharge vouchers worth N$465, cigarettes, sweets, keys, and a pocket watch.
The State, during proceedings, introduced their convictions arising from offences committed after the abovementioned offence.
Hangula is reported to have committed suicide after strangling his pregnant girlfriend to death in November 2020 while out on bail.
Aib was sentenced to 14 years for housebreaking and theft while also on bail. Nowoseb, on the other hand, is currently serving a prison sentence of 44 years since August 2017 for the murder of his former girlfriend, whom he stabbed to death in her hospital bed on 7 December 2014, after he had stabbed her the previous evening on 6 December 2014.
While the accused mitigated for leniency, the State aggravated that the accused showed no remorse nor regard for life and that their violation of the sanctity of a home demonstrated intent to achieve their own agendas through violence.
It also contended that the scene was a crime of terror, as they broke into the tuckshop, assaulted an unarmed and defenceless woman and killed the deceased in cold blood.
It further argued that no mercy, humanity or escape was shown that evening in 2014 and that the deceased lost his life in such a senseless manner.
Judge Ndauendapo found that although the convictions in question did not constitute previous convictions, they remain relevant to the assessment of their character, propensity to offend and overall criminal history.
He also stated that the deceased was an elderly man in his seventies and vulnerable and that he was attacked and murdered in his own home, a place where he ought to have been safe.
The accused not only broke into the house to steal, but they also attacked and raped the woman residing there and then went on to murder the deceased.
Pointing out the prevalence of violence in the country, the judge stated that the vocabulary of the courts to describe the barbaric and repulsive conduct of such unscrupulous criminals is being exhausted.
He stated that although the two accused are being treated as first offenders, their ‘previous convictions’, or further offences, demonstrate their character and show that they have a history of showing no respect for the law.
He then sentenced the two to 30 years’ imprisonment for murder, 15 years for attempted murder, 20 years for rape and 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The sentences imposed on attempted murder, rape and robbery with aggravating circumstances were ordered to run concurrently with the murder charge.
This sentence will significantly extend the total period of imprisonment for the two.
Aib was represented by Jermaine Muchali, Nowoseb by Natjirikasorua Tjirera and the State by Karin Esterhuizen.