The three men, accused of the murder of renowned stock theft investigator Hiambepo ‘Major’ Kazeurua, will face another long stint behind bars before their trial resumes.
Windhoek High Court Acting Judge Alfred Siboleka on Friday postponed the matter to 4 September next year, as the lawyer representing Stockley Kauejao (44), the main accused in the murder trial, Salomon Kanyemba has no available dates up to then.
The judge previously cancelled the bail of Kauejao by using the powers invested in him, according to section 68(3) of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 as amended, and refused to entertain another bail application.
Similarly, he refused to grant bail to Muvare Kaporo and Mathew Kakurume, who recently applied for bail after languishing in custody since their arrest in 2012.
The only one who is currently on bail is Afas Kamutjemo (44), who is facing a charge of stock theft alone.
Kauejao, Kakururume and Kaporo pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, stock theft and defeating or attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice at the start of their trial.
They put the onus of proof on the State for each and every allegation against them.
Kamutjemo pleaded not guilty to a charge of stock theft. It is alleged the stolen cattle was mixed with his cattle on his grandfather’s farm.
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 allegedly happened on 28 December 2012.
The partly burned body of Kazeurua was found in an Aardvark burrow on 7 January 2013 after being reported missing days earlier.
Kaporo and Kakurume are represented by Mbanga Siyomunji, Kamutjemo by Jan Wessels and the State by Esekiel Ipinge.
– rrouth@nepc.com.na