Roland Routh
Windhoek-After being afforded more than a year to secure the witnesses he wants to call in his own defense, alleged serial rapist Jan Rooinasie returns to the Windhoek High Court today to testify in his own defense.
Rooinasie who also wanted to fire his State-funded lawyer, Mbanga Siyomunji – until Judge Alfred Siboleka showed him the error of his ways by convincing him to retain Siyomunji’s services – informed the court at his appearance last year that he needs more time to get hold of his defense witnesses.
Yesterday he however informed the court that he did not manage to trace his witnesses and was ready to commence with his defense. He faces seven counts of rape, one count of abduction or alternatively kidnapping, one count of attempting to commit an immoral act with a child below the age of 16 years, three counts of crimen injuria, two counts of attempted murder and one count of indecent assault.
It is alleged in the indictment that Rooinasie abducted a 13-year-old girl from her parent’s home in Katutura on May 25, 2007 with the purpose of raping her. It is further alleged that on March 2, 2010 he repeatedly raped a woman he enticed into helping him and his apparent pregnant girlfriend, after rendering her unconscious by strangling her.
He allegedly also directed various obscenities at his victim. Rooinasie is also alleged to have fooled another young woman into following him into the bushes near Katutura State Hospital, barely four days later on 6 March, where he also strangled her, thus rendering her unconscious and proceeded to rape her.
And yet again, in the space of four days, Rooinasie allegedly managed to lure another young woman into the bushes with a cry for help with luggage. This time around he told the victim that there was a woman who was struggling with many bags and asked her to go and help him carry the bags.
The unsuspecting victim went with Rooinasie and when they arrived in the bushy area, he pulled out a knife and threatened to kill her if she did not do what he wanted, according to the indictment. As in the previous instances he strangled his victim until she fainted and raped her, it was stated.
No pictures of Rooinasie could be taken as he was in prison clothes. Deputy Prosecutor General Karin Esterhuizen is representing the State in the matter.