WALVIS BAY – Walvis Bay fisherman Robin Montgomery (59), who viciously attacked his wheelchair-bound sister-in-law and killed her cousin, was found guilty of murder and attempted murder yesterday.
Montgomery lived with the two women, Erika Montgomery (his sister-in-law) and Maria van Zyl, at Rooibank, 60 kilometres outside Walvis Bay, when the gruesome murder took place on 12 February 2023. He was found not guilty on the third charge of defeating the course of justice. Addressing Montgomery shortly before convicting him, magistrate Vicky Nicolaidis said a State witness’ testimony and the evidence against Montgomery himself was quite strong.
“You came home from the sea… there was a misunderstanding, and you left the house. You came back armed with a knife, and found the two women inside the bedroom. According to the surviving witness, you came right in front of her, drew your knife, stabbed and pushed her,” Nicolaidis said.
The magistrate added that Van Zyl wanted to help Montgomery’s sister-in-law, but Montgomery also stabbed her. “That is the material fact of what happened that is in front of the court,” she said.
Nicolaidis acknowledged that when Montgomery took the stand during his earlier appearance, he did not deny causing Van Zyl’s death but stated he only wanted to hurt the women.
“The question is, did you have a direct intent to kill her? We have heard that the relationship was strained, that you became aggressive when you drank, and that you had been drinking that day. What is chilling is the fact that after the disagreement, you went back to arm yourself with a knife,” Nicolaidis said.
She further noted that both victims were older than him and that his sister-in-law sustained a dislocated shoulder, while Van Zyl suffered stab wounds between 70mm and 190mm deep. “These are deep wounds, and the fact that you armed yourself with a knife makes this a premeditated murder,” Nicolaidis said. Montgomery remains in police custody and will return to court on 4 March for sentencing.
-edeklerk@nepc.com.na