WINDHOEK – Judge Christi Liebenberg on Thursday informed the four men accused of killing renowned stock theft investigator, Hiambepo ‘Major’ Kazeurua, that their trial will now be before Judge Alfred Siboleka.
Judge Liebenberg recused himself from the trial, citing evidence presented during the bail applications of the main accused Stockley Kauejao.
The four accused – Kauejao (40), Matheu Kakururume (29), Muvare Kaporo (25) and Afas Kamutjemo (38) – will now have to return to court on January 29 next year before Judge Siboleka to get new trial dates.
The withdrawal of Judge Liebenberg has set the trial back as it is not known what Judge Siboleka’s diary looks like.
The trial is attracting many spectators with family members of Kauejao and Kazeurua filling the benches to the brim in recent appearances.
The four accused now have to spend more time behind bars as the court roll is heavily congested, which means they may get dates only in 2016.
Kauejao, Kakururume, Kaporo and Kamutjemo face charges of murder, stock theft and defeating or attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice.
The accused are all alleged to be involved in the gruesome murder and mutilation of Kazeurua whose partly burned body was found in an aardvark burrow on January 7, after being reported missing for days earlier.
According to the indictment, the accused conspired to kill Kazeurua to prevent him from tracing cattle they had stolen and Kaporo and Kakururume ambushed him and killed him by strangling him and throwing sand in his mouth to prevent him from breathing.
This happened on December 28, 2012.
It is further alleged that the accused defeated or obstructed the course of justice or attempted to defeat or obstruct the course of justice when they burned the vehicle of the deceased, burned and buried the body of the deceased, gave money to Kaporo and Kakururume to leave the district of
Gobabis after the death of the deceased and the theft of the cattle, burnt, destroyed or otherwise disposed of the ear tags of the cattle, keeping the stolen cattle on Farm Groot Ums and/or mixing these cattle with other cattle kept at farm Groot Ums and attempting to brand the stolen cattle with the registered brand mark of Kamutjemo.
Kauejao, Kakururume and Kaporo remain in custody while Kamutjemo is out on bail.
Kauejao is represented by Advocate Slysken Makando, Kakururume by Bronell Uirab and Kaporo by Monty Karuaihe while Jan Wessels will defend Kamutjemo.
By Roland Routh