Windhoek
Six people accused of rape and murder made their first appearance in the Windhoek High Court before Judge Christi Liebenberg for pre-trial procedures yesterday.
All the cases were postponed to January 21 next year for another pre-trial conference, where the defence is expected to submit answers to the State’s pre-trial memoranda. Of the six cases three were allegedly committed in a domestic setting.
One of these is the case of Mariental resident David Kido, who allegedly raped his teenage step-daughter during the period September 18 to 20, 2013 while they were alone at his house on the farm where he was employed. According to the indictment, after he raped the 18-year-old girl, he killed her by hitting her with an unknown object on the head and thereafter buried her in shallow grave.
He then reported the girl missing at the Mariental Police in order to defeat the course of justice, it is further alleged. Kido will be represented by lawyer Christian Nambahu during his trial on instructions from legal aid and will remain in custody until the next per-trial.
A man who allegedly killed the adopted son of his live-in girlfriend at Keetmanshoop between October 31 and November 1, 2013 also made a first pre-trial appearance before Judge Liebenberg.
It is alleged Desmond Cornelius Vries, 31, killed six-year-old Curtus Shille van der Westhuizen by hitting him, kicking and/or strangling him while the child was in his care. It is further alleged that after he killed the deceased he placed the deceased’s body in bed. Vries will be represented by Milton Engelbrecht on instructions of legal aid and he remains in custody.
Gobabis resident, Erwin Tebele also made his first pre-trial appearance on a charge of murder, read with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act. It is alleged he stabbed his common-law wife, Nina Katjatenja, once in the chest after an argument at their abode in Freedom Square in Epako in the district of Gobabis on September 3, 2013.
The deceased died at the scene due to internal bleeding caused by the stab wound. Tebele will be represented by Trevor Brockerhoff on instructions of legal aid and remains in custody at the Windhoek Correctional Facility for trial-awaiting inmates.
The man who allegedly shot and killed a fellow gambler at Stop and Shop Bar in Okuryangava in the district of Windhoek on July 12, 2013 over winnings also made his first pre-trial appearance yesterday. Deputy Prosecutor General Antonia Verhoef told the court she handed over copies of the court documents to Mbanga Siyomunji, the State funded lawyer of Joshua Hituwamata.
Siyomunji acknowledged receipt of the documents and informed the court he will submit his reply to the State’s pre-trial memorandum before the next court date. According to the indictment, Hituwamata and the deceased had an argument over gambling winnings, when Hituwamata pulled out his pistol and fired seven shots at the deceased, who died on the scene due to multiple gunshot wounds to his chest and head. Hituwamata remains in custody.
Two men, aged 29 and 21, respectively also appeared before Judge Liebenberg for the pre-trail procedure. Fransiscus Dimitri !Narimab and Ruben Fritz are facing one count of murder, two counts of rape and one count of defeating or obstructing the course of justice.
It is alleged that they took turns to rape Alwina Uri-Khos during the period March 28 and 29, 2013, while the other held her down after taking her to a bushy area between Shandumbula and the Western Bypass tar road in Windhoek. It is further alleged both accused killed the deceased by hitting her with stones on her head and she died at the scene of severe head injuries due to blunt force impact trauma.
The accused then allegedly robbed the deceased of her cellphone, SIM card, pair of shoes and trousers. It is further alleged that they destroyed the SIM card and sold the cellular phone and instructed the mother of Fritz to give false information to the police. They also allegedly disposed of the shoes and trouser of the deceased in a way unknown to the police. They are represented by Mese Tjituri on instructions from legal aid.
Jesaya Nicanor, 40, also made a first pre-trail appearance before Judge Liebenberg on charges of murder, housebreaking with the intent to rape and rape, as well as defeating or obstructing the course of justice. It is alleged that he killed Fiona Ann Holton in Outjo during the period September 20 to 21, 2008 after he broke into her room and raped her.
He is represented by Mese Tjituri on instructions of legal aid and was apparently granted bail of N$4 000 in the Outjo Magistrate Court. He, however, did not manage to pay the bail and is currently held in the trail-awaiting section of the Windhoek Correctional Facility. Should he manage to pay bail the conditions were altered to include reporting twice a week and restrictions to his travel movements.