An Otjimbingwe resident who admitted that he killed his mother with an axe at her residence in Otjimbingwe is still waiting to be seen by a psychologist, four months after the court ordered it.
After Siegfried Uirab informed the court he was possessed by evil spirits, who told him to kill his mother, Judge Christi Liebenberg ordered the psychological observation at the request of Titus Ipumbu, his State-funded lawyer.
Judge Liebenberg was informed this week that Uirab is still waiting to be seen, but that they were in consultation with the Superintendent of the Windhoek Central Hospital under which the mental health unit resides to fast track his admittance.
The judge ordered at the time that Uirab must be seen by independent clinical psychiatrist Dr Reinhardt Sieberhagen and a State psychiatrist.
During his plea Uirab told the court he wants to plead “guilty without intent” since he struck his mother with the axe four times, but denied the intention to kill her, as he was “overcome with spirits”.
The judge did not accept the plea and entered one of not guilty instead.
The State alleges that Uirab killed Erika Uiras by striking her at least four times with an axe on her head on November 21, 2013 at Otjimbingwe in the Karibib district, causing her to die two days later on November 23, 2013 at Katutura Hospital in Windhoek.
The accused further denied any involvement in the other charges he is facing. In addition to the murder charge, he is accused of attempted murder for allegedly hitting his sister Lena Uiras at least once on the head and that he threatened to assault another family member, Lizette Uiras, with the same axe.
According to the charge sheet, the accused and the deceased shared a residence and he provided financially for her and the other complainants. On the afternoon of the incident, the accused threatened to kill Lizette Uiras and other family members if they do not vacate the deceased’s residence, which they did, only to return later, the indictment states.
During that evening and whilst the deceased was with her family at home, the accused arrived and had a short conversation with his mother whereafter he hit the deceased at least four times on the head with the axe, the indictment further reads.
It continues that after assaulting his mother, Uirab turned on Lena Uiras and hit her once on the head and also chased Lizette Uiras with axe in hand threatening to kill her.
The deceased died, because of head injuries caused by the assault on her.
Ipumbu already informed the court during a pre-trial hearing that his client cannot be held responsible for his actions, as he underwent psychiatric observation just two weeks before the incident.
Ipumbu said that Uirab was diagnosed with substance abuse-induced psychosis. He also mentioned in his pre-trial answers that Uirab admits committing the crimes, but cannot be held responsible because of his mental state.
During his testimony in his own defence Uirab repeatedly referred to a big dog he saw on the day of the incident. State witnesses also testified that when Uirab arrived home at around lunchtime that day he was aggressive and chased them from the house.
The trial continues and Uirab remains in custody.