Windhoek
A Walvis Bay resident who allegedly turned from rape to murder was last week informed by High Court Judge Christi Liebenberg that his trial will be presided over by Judge Dinah Usiku at the recently introduced High Court at the Windhoek Correctional Facility.
Judge Liebenberg remanded the case to tomorrow for Judge Usiku to set down dates for the trial. Walvis Bay-based legal aid lawyer Martin Dube informed the judge that he will be ready for the trial by the date indicated.
Deputy Prosecutor General Antonia Verhoef told the court she received the reply to the State’s pre-trial memorandum, and the prosecutor general’s office was also ready to proceed to trial.
Piet Kondjele Nakanene faces two charges of housebreaking with intent to rape, three counts of rape, two counts of attempted rape, two counts of attempted murder, one count of murder and one count of defeating or obstructing the course of justice.
On the first count of attempted rape it is alleged by the State that Nakanene kicked open the door to his cousin’s room and attempted to rape her on September 3, 2006 in Kuisebmond.
According to the indictment, Nakanene and the victim were socialising and after they went to their separate rooms in the same yard Nakanene returned and forcefully tried to rape the complainant who cannot be identified.
It is further alleged that he used the same modus operandi when he managed to rape another woman, who may not be identified, on April 6, 2013.
It is further alleged by the State that Nakanene, after socialising with the complainant and other people, escorted the complainant back to her room in the same yard where he stayed. During the early hours of Saturday, April 6, 2013, he allegedly again kicked open the door of her room and violated her.
He is also facing a charge of attempted murder for allegedly strangling the victim and causing her to lose consciousness during the rape.The second count of attempted rape relates to an incident on October 15, 2013 when Nakanene allegedly followed his victim who was on her way home on foot using the route she normally took, which passes nearby the premises where the accused resided in Kuisebmond.
According to the indictment, Nakanene pushed the victim to the ground when he caught up with her and attempted to rape her.
He also faces another count of attempted murder for strangling the victim with his hands.
After this, Nakanene allegedly upped his ante. The State alleges that he killed Benedine Letesia Baumgartner after he raped her in his room in Kuisebmond between March 12 and 13, 2014.
He allegedly strangled her with his bare hands and she died in his room due to asphyxia.
He is facing the charge of defeating the course of justice for allegedly removing the dead body of the victim from his room and dumping it in the dunes a distance away from his house. He then cleaned the yard of the house with a rake and destroyed, or in another unknown way, disposed of a pair of shoes he was wearing during the period March 12 to 13, 2014.
During his first appearance in the Walvis Bay Magistrate’s Court it was revealed that Nakanene was released from custody on another rape charge just two weeks prior to the murder of Baumgartner.