Ernst Lichtenstrasser, the man who shot two people at the Namibian Institute of Mining and Technology (NIMT)’s entrance in 2019 in cold blood, is ready to proceed with the last stretch of his trial.

About two months after he tried to commit suicide in the holding cells at the Windhoek Correctional Facility with an opioid overdose, Lichtenstrasser was back in court for a status hearing on Monday.

Deputy Judge President Hosea Angula, who conducted the hearing on behalf of retired High Court Judge Christi Liebenberg, wanted to know from the convicted killer whether he was ready to proceed without legal representation. He answered that he is ready, and will bring an application for a special entry of irregularity made in his trial record on his own. 

He had dismissed his Legal Aid lawyer Albert Titus after his conviction.

During his submissions in mitigation for sentencing, Lichtenstrasser told the court that he wanted to be sentenced to house arrest, as dying in prison would be “undignified”. 

He further told Judge Liebenberg that if he could choose, he would prefer the death sentence. Liebenberg convicted Lichtenstrasser of the murders of two of his superiors at NIMT, executive director Eckhardt Mueller, and his deputy Heinz Heimo Hellwig. 

The deceased died in the early morning hours of 15 April 2019 after being gunned down at Arandis.

The matter will now return to court on 12 March, when deputy prosecutor general Antonia Verhoef is expected to argue in aggravation of sentence. Lichtenstrasser remains in custody at the section for trial- awaiting inmates at the Windhoek Correctional Facility under suicide watch.

- rrouth@nepc.com.na