Roland Routh
Windhoek-Judge Alfred Siboleka has admitted a confession made by Matheu Kakurume (30) to a magistrate at Gobabis, after his arrest for the gruesome murder of renowned stock theft investigator Hiambepo ‘Major’ Kazeurua, into evidence.
The judge admitted the confession into evidence after finding no truth in the allegations by Kakurume that police officers assaulted and unduly influenced him to make the confession.
He is the second accused to appear in the murder trial, which has drawn a large number of spectators since its start.
Appearing with him are Stockley Kauejao (41) and Muvare Kaporo (26) on charges of murder, stock theft and defeating or attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice.
In addition, Afas Kamutjemo (39) will appear on charges of stock theft and defeating or attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice.
The indictment states the accused conspired to kill Kazeurua to prevent him from tracing cattle they had stolen.
Kaporo and Kakururume ambushed him and killed him by strangling him and throwing sand in his mouth to prevent him from breathing. This allegedly happened on 28 December 2012.
Police found the partly burnt body of Kazeurua in an Aardvark burrow on January 7, after people reported him missing days earlier.
Yesterday one of the investigators in the case, Inspector Kephas Iyamboh – a Warrant Officer at the time – informed the court of what transpired on the day they found the body of the deceased.
He testified that Chief Inspector Kandetu asked him to go out to farm Brazil where the burnt out pick-up of the deceased was found.
While there he received instructions to interrogate two of the workers on farm Brazil, Jesaya Daniel and Nambinga Mbongoro.
During their conversation Daniel told him, and Mbongoro confirmed, that on 28 December 2012 Kaporo returned to the farm and told him that he and Kakurume killed ‘Major’ – as the deceased was known.
He further told them that they buried him in an Aardvark Burrow in the last camp of Farm Brazil on the border with the neighbouring farm Vasdraai.
Iyamboh said Daniel told him that after Kaporo confessed to the murder he (Kaporo) asked for a cell phone and called Kauejao who instructed him (Daniel) to tell Kaporo and Kakurume to come and get their money and then go wherever they wanted.
“I then went back and reported what I was told to Chief Kandetu”, the officer said.
He added that he then contacted MTC to obtain printouts of the calls made to and from Kauejao’s phone.
Iyamboh’s reading of the dates and times and locations from where Kauejao’s and Kamutjemo’s phones were utilised took up the rest of the day at the hearing.
Advocate Slysken Makando represented Kauejao; Hipura Ujaha represented Kakururume Monty Karuaihe acted for Kaporo while Jan Wessels represented Kamutjemo.
Kauejao and Kamutjemo are out on bail while Kakurume and Kaporo remain in custody.