By Roland Routh
WINDHOEK – The murder trial of Jacobus Jossop who is accused of two murders and various attempted murders and assaults, malicious damage to property and defeating or attempting to defeat the course of justice is almost finalised.
After hearing submissions on the verdict to be delivered Judge Nate Ndauendapo indicated that he would deliver judgment on 30 October.
It is alleged Jossop killed Isak Shikongo and Johannes Matroos just minutes apart on 23 January, 2009 at Karasburg.
Jossop also allegedly assaulted Gregorius Morongwe Brunzel by hitting him with his head the same evening, broke a radio and set on fire a duvet, mattress and clothing belonging to his aunt Johanna and Matroos.
The attempted murder charge stems from the allegation that he stabbed Richelin Snewe and Indira Bloodstaan and that he hit Belinda Guriras on the head with a bottle on 21 December, 2011 in Keetmanshoop with the intention to murder them.
The charge of defeating the course of justice stems from the stabbing of Snewe as the latter is a witness in the murder trial, according to the indictment.
Jossop admitted that he stabbed the deceased and damaged the property, but denied that he committed the other offences. In his defence he said that both the deceased provoked him.
He said that Shikongo invited him for a fight when he told him not to abuse his aunt, who was Shikongo’s girlfriend. He said that Shikongo produced an okapi knife and that he (Jossop) then went into his kitchen and fetched a knife which he used to stab Shikongo.
After he stabbed Shikongo, he went into the house and sat down, he told the court in his evidence in chief. That is when Matroos approached him and said, “Let’s finish this small boy.” He said he then fetched a pair of sheep shears and followed Matroos. When he reached Matroos, the latter started to throw stones at him, he said, and continued that when Matroos fell down after he hit him with a stone, he stabbed Matroos with the shears.
While he admitted stabbing Snewe and Bloodstaan he said that he was the victim in that instance. According to him he went to Keetmanshoop to apply for a new ID document. He said Snewe owed him some money and when he asked for it Snewe refused to give it to him.
A fight then ensued between them and Snewe grabbed a broken bottle, he said . He continued that he also grabbed a broken bottle and managed to strike Snewe on the right arm and this was when Bloodstaan, who is the sister of Snewe, hit him on the head with a bottle and he stabbed her in the head with the same bottle he used on Snewe.
He said that after the fight he went to the police station to report the matter. He further told the court that he did not even know Guriras and only saw her once on 14 December, 2011.
He further denied that he stabbed Snewe and Bloodstaan to prevent them from testifying in his murder trial.
Jossop is represented by Eva Shifotoka instructed by the Directorate of Legal Aid while the State is instructed by Advocate Erich Moyo.