Maria Amakali
Windhoek-Forty-year-old Yemeni national Murad Esmail Ali Al-Hersh, accused of killing a 35-year-old Malian national Gamby Maya, whose body was found at a dumping site in Kleine Kuppe, will remain in custody after the prosecution informed the court investigations are ongoing.
“One statement is still outstanding and it has to be obtained from South Africa and lab results are still not available,” explained public prosecutor Laura Mabuku, consequently having the case pushed to August.
Al-Hersh has been in custody since August 2, 2016 after the court refused to release him on bail in November 2016 in light of the seriousness of the offence and he being a flight risk.
Al-Hersh’s defence counsel Norman Tjombe told the court it should be a final remand since his client has now been sitting in prison for almost a year waiting for investigations to be finalized.
According to the substantial facts in the charge sheet, Al-Hersh killed Maya in an open space in Kleine Kuppe, where residents usually discard their rubbish, during the night of July 31 to August 1, 2016. Maya died from a penetrating shot between his eyes while he was seated in his green Hyundai Elantra, 2014 model. Maya’s corpse was discovered by a passer-by at the dumping site in Kleine Kuppe, Windhoek.
Maya’s execution was the result of unlawful money dealings gone sour. The duo apparently had a dealing agreement in which the deceased was meant to convert US$500 000 (N$6.4 million) into Namibian dollars but he later failed to account for US$150 000 (N$1.9 million) which led to him being shot.
According to the prosecution Al-Hersh dumped the body and discarded the deceased’s vehicle in Olympia residential area. Al-Hersh was later arrested in Ongwediva with a huge stack of money in his possession.
Magistrate Ilge Rheent postponed the case to August 4 for further investigation and Al-Hersh will remain in custody at the Windhoek police station.