Windhoek High Court Judge Nate Ndauendapo on Friday sentenced a man he convicted of murder, kidnapping and several rapes to an effective 35 years in prison. The judge slammed Johannes Lukuwa Hausiku with a total of 110 years on all the convictions, but ordered that the sentences run concurrently, leaving him with 35 years.
The judge convicted him on one count of murder, three counts of rape, two counts of attempted rape and one count of kidnapping.
Hausiku was facing 15 charges emanating from three incidents which took place at Outjo during the first half of 2012. He had denied guilt on all of the charges. He kidnapped and raped a woman at Outjo in the Kunene Region on the night of 30 May 2012. He then murdered the woman’s two-year-old son, and hindered police investigations by telling her to report to the police that she had been attacked and her son was killed by four unknown men. Hausiku was also convicted of the rape and attempted rape of two other women in January 2012.
He underwent multiple psychiatric observations to determine whether he is fit to stand trial, and whether he knew what he was doing when he committed the atrocities. After a mini-trial, the judge found that Hausiku was indeed able to appreciate the wrongfulness of his actions when he committed the crimes he was convicted of.
“I am satisfied that the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused did not suffer from a mental defect at the time the offences were committed, and that he can be held criminally responsible for his actions,” the judge said during the verdict.
The mother of the deceased testified during aggravation of sentence that she will never forgive Hausiku for what he had done, and said she is still heartbroken over the demise of her son.
Judge Ndauendapo said murder is a serious crime that calls for severe punishment. “Violence against children has reached a crisis point,” he said, and added: “It is continuing unabated, despite the harsh sentences that courts impose. Society is crying for the courts to impose more severe sentences against those who commit
crimes against children.”
He went on to say the deceased was only two years old, innocent and defenceless, and there is a legitimate expectation from society to send a clear message to would-be murderers and rapists that the courts will harshly deal with those who commit such heinous crimes against women and children.
“Children are there to be loved and not to be murdered. They are the future of our society, and should be protected at all cost.”
In the end, the judge sentenced Haufiku to 35 years on the murder conviction, 15 years each for the rape convictions, 10 years each for the attempted rapes, five years for the kidnapping conviction, and five years for the defeating the course of justice conviction. He ordered the sentences to run concurrently with the murder sentence.
-rrouth@nepc.com.na