Iuze Mukube

A man from Outjo, who is accused of the murder of his common-law wife, was allegedly shouting about meat missing from a pot shortly before sounds of assault were heard coming from their residence.

This emerged from the testimony of State witness Charles Oaseb during the commencement of Piet Ritief Gamaseb’s trial last week.

Gamaseb faces charges of murder and defeating the course or obstructing the course of justice for the death of Davie Bokkie Hannes in the Soweto location of Outjo on 12 March 2022.

Oaseb, who resided in a room rented from the accused, said that on 11 March 2022, he went straight to sleep after arriving at his room.

He testified that, the following morning, 12 March 2022, around 03h00, he heard the voices of Gamaseb and Hannes as they walked to their room.

Shortly after, Oaseb allegedly heard the two quarrelling, with the accused complaining about meat missing from the pot that he allegedly left in the house before going out.

The witness said he further heard the accused beating the deceased, although he did not know what object was used to assault her.

He added he heard Hannes breathing loudly, which the State alleges was the snoring that prompted the accused to assault her further after warning her to stop snoring and she did not.

Oaseb also said, after the beating stopped, Gamaseb came to his room to ask for a lighter, which the witness apparently gave to him without leaving his room.

The witness further testified that, after that, he went back to sleep until around 07h00 that morning. 

An elderly woman woke him up and informed him that the accused had killed the victim. 

The deceased’s mother, Willemina Hannes, testified that the accused arrived at her residence around 08h00 that morning, allegedly looking for his wife or boyfriend.

Before she could respond, Gamaseb allegedly said “Oh no, here she is, she [the deceased] is lying down here”.

Willemina said she followed the accused to the direction he pointed and found her daughter lying on the ground, covered in a blanket.

She added that her daughter was injured and lifeless, which left her shocked and distressed.

She further testified that the accused checked her daughter, and said, “Wake up, are you really dead?”, after which he indicated that he was going to drink tombo.

According to the witness, Gamaseb allegedly returned later, and said he intended to report the matter to the police, claiming that her daughter had been attacked by “Wambo men”.

She said she did not believe the explanation, hence she did not ask which men he was referring to.

A sister of the accused, Magdalena Nowases, testified that the wheelbarrow that her brother [Gamaseb] allegedly used to transport the body of Hannes to her mother’s house belonged to her.

Nowases testified that, on 12 March 2022, shortly before 05h00, when it was still dark, the accused came to her house asking to borrow her wheelbarrow to collect water.

She said he left with it after she directed him to collect it, and later noticed that the green wheelbarrow had been returned.

But this was only after hearing from her grandfather that the accused had allegedly killed a woman, transported the body in a wheelbarrow and left her at her mother’s house. Upon hearing this, she immediately realised that it was her wheelbarrow that was being referred to.

Other witnesses allegedly saw the accused picking up the deceased and forcefully dropping her to the ground, which Gamaseb denied, saying that he was merely helping her up from the ground.

The State alleges that, while the two were at Gamaseb’s residence in the Soweto location in Outjo on the said date, and whilst they were drunk, the accused hit the deceased with an iron bar on her head and body, and kicked her.

It is also alleged that the assault was a result of an argument that erupted between the two after the deceased, at the request of the accused, did not stop snoring.

Gamaseb allegedly transported the body in a wheelbarrow and dumped her at her mother’s residence in the 7de Laan location in Outjo.

He allegedly made a report to the police, claiming the deceased was stoned to death by Oshiwambo-speaking men, and that she was involved in bar fights.–mukubeiuze@gmail.com