Hilma Nalupe
A State witness in the case of the murder and rape of a 16-year-old Hannelie Swartbooi, pointed out at Isak Blockstaan (30) as the person who took the girl’s life.
Swartbooi was murdered in May 2021, following an alleged deadly assault by Blockstaan, who was her boyfriend at the time. The incident took place at a farm in Gibeon in the Mariental district.
When she took the witness stand at the Windhoek High Court last week, Maria Gowases pointed at Blockstaan, telling the court that she saw him washing Swartbooi’s bloodied face with a cloth and carrying her into his house.
Gowases then recalled the events of the night in question, stating that she and her husband, Deon So/goabeb, stayed at home while Blockstaan, Swartbooi and others went to a party.
“As it became dark, we went to sleep. When they returned, a boy came running to our house and told us that Hannelie was being beaten,” Gowases testified. Shortly afterwards, Anna, the deceased’s mother, also arrived, telling them that Swartbooi was being assaulted, she said.
According to Gowases, she and her husband later went to check on the situation. She said that when they arrived at Blockstaan’s house, she saw the accused washing the girl’s bloodied face with a cloth before carrying her into the house.
“The next morning, we went to the house and Isack said to Damab, ‘Damab, the girl is dead’,” she told the court.
Gowases further testified that when the death was confirmed, she informed others and the police were called. Upon police arrival, she said, Blockstaan attempted to flee but was pursued and arrested.
Throughout her testimony, Gowases clarified that although she and Blockstaan lived on the same farm, they did not communicate with each other, adding that she knew the deceased and the accused were romantically involved.
Her version of events contradicted that of the accused, who told the court during his plea and trial this month that it was the deceased’s mother who washed and dressed her, before carrying her into his room.
The State alleges that during the period of 2 to 3 May 2021, Blockstaan assaulted Swartbooi for allegedly refusing to sit next to him while attending a birthday party.
When the victim’s mother tried to come to her assistance, Blockstaan also assaulted her.
This sparked a fight between Blockstaan and the victim’s father. The State alleges that during that same period, the accused, after leaving the party with the victim, assaulted her by hitting her multiple times on her body and head with a wooden stick, an iron rod or other unknown objects.
Additionally, Blockstaan allegedly undressed the victim and committed a sexual act by inserting two stones and sexually assaulting her under coercive circumstances.
Swartbooi died as a result of a subdural haematoma caused by the assault on her, according to an autopsy performed on her.
It is further alleged that the accused set alight his own clothes and those of the victim, some of which were bloodstained, with the intention of defeating or obstructing the course of justice.
Blockstaan stated that he was unconscious during the incident after being attacked from behind by unknown assailants and that he never committed the offences alleged by the State.
He testified that he found the victim lying naked on the ground after he regained consciousness and proceeded to drag her to his house.
He further testified that the deceased’s parents found him on the way home from the party and helped carry the victim to his house, where the mother cleaned, dressed and laid her on his bed.
Blockstaan pleaded not guilty to all three charges.
Judge Eileen Rakow is presiding, with prosecutor Karin Esterhuizen representing the State.