WINDHOEK – Multiple murder accused Aloyis Ditshabue decided not to testify in his own defence after Acting Judge Maphios Cheda ruled against him in his application to be discharged on a second murder count in the High Court in Windhoek.
Judge Cheda dismissed Ditshabue’s application on September 20 last year and ordered that he be put on his defence for the murder of his live-in girlfriend Alida Kambende on Sunday July 10 2011.
He already pleaded guilty to the murder of his wife, Marcella Ditshabue, who was ten weeks pregnant at the time of her demise, at their house during the period 16 – 17 February 2008.
“I killed her, I strangled her with my bare hands because I wanted her dead,” Ditshabue told Judge Cheda, who has been seconded from Zimbabwe, when he entered his guilty plea at the start of his trial.
On the second murder charge Ditshabue however denied any involvement in the murder, but admitted that he was in a relationship with the deceased and was at the scene of the murder on the day in question.
It is alleged that after he was released on bail for the murder of his wife he hooked up with another lady, Alida Kambende, and allegedly stabbed her at least five times with a knife.
Ditshabue allegedly stabbed his new live-in partner to death at their residence in the Epako location in Gobabis on Sunday 10 July 2011.
During his ruling in the Section 174 application Judge Cheda said the state adduced sufficient evidence to put Ditshabue on his defence.
The judge has now remanded the matter to March 27 for submissions on the verdict and indicated he wished to deliver his judgment on March 31.
Willem Visser represents Ditshabue on instructions of the Legal Aid Department and State Advocate Jack Eixab is prosecuting.
By Roland Routh