WINDHOEK – High Court Acting Judge Claudia Claasen will preside over the murder trial of commissioner for refugees in Namibia Likius Valombola.
This was announced yesterday during a routine pre-trial hearing in the Windhoek High Court.
The 55-year-old Valombola is charged with murder for the death of former Namibia National Student Organisation’s (Nanso) executive member Helao Ndjaba (27). He is further facing a charge of discharging a firearm in public. The matter was postponed to October 29, with Valombola expected to plea to the charges.
According to the State, Valombola shot the deceased unlawfully and intentionally twice in the head with the direct intention to kill him during the period 18 to 19 May 2018, causing the said Ndjaba to die from the injuries he sustained on 28 May 2018 in the Katutura State Hospital.
It is further stated in the indictment that Valombola is guilty of the offence of discharging a firearm in public, which he had no justification for.
According to the summary of substantial facts in the indictment, during the late night or early morning hours of 18 to 19 May 2018, the accused was a passenger in his motor vehicle driven by his son.
They arrived at the junction of King Kauluma and Omuvapu streets in Katutura where another vehicle was stationary on the road due to mechanical problems.
The accused allegedly insisted that the vehicle be moved, but this did not happen.
The State further alleges that Valombola then took out his licensed firearm before firing two shots in the direction of the deceased, which struck him in the head.
The deceased was then taken to Katutura hospital where he succumbed to his injuries 10 days later. Valombola was represented by lawyer Sisa Namandje and the State by Advocate Antonia Verhoef. He is free on bail of N$15 000.
During his bail hearing, Valombola denied any wrongdoing when he took a no guilty plea after the charges were put to him.
In his defence, he said, he had no intention to harm anyone when he fired the shots.
He stated that at the time he fired the shots, his life was in danger because of three unknown men who were banging on his car.