A 58-year-old man was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in the Oshakati Magistrate’s Court for stabbing his uncle to death some nine years ago.
Erastus Amadhila was convicted on Wednesday of murder after he admitted to having stabbed and killed his uncle Simon Hanghama on 23 July 2012 at a cucashop in Oshaandja in northern Namibia.
Passing sentence, magistrate Richard Swartz dismissed Amadhila’s version of having acted in self-defence after being provoked by Hanghama.
He sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment, of which five years were suspended on condition that he is not convicted of murder during the suspension period.
“You stabbed the deceased six times, of which five times were in the back and once in the abdomen. This shows how seriously you stabbed him. It shows you had the intent to murder,” said Swartz.
According to Amadhila’s confession, on the date in question, he went for a drink at a local cucashop. While at the cucashop, Hanghama approached him and requested to have a conversation with him behind the cucashop.
When they got behind the shop, Hanghama started to assault Amadhila. He testified that he tried to run away from Hanghama, but the deceased chased him and pinned him to the ground.
While they were wrestling on the ground, Amadhila took a knife that he had and stabbed Hanghama several times.
“I was agitated and angry when I started stabbing the deceased in the back.
I did not understand why my uncle was assaulting me,” said Amadhila. He further narrated that he continued to stab Hanghama, although having realised that what he was doing was unlawful. He further indicated that he had no justification for killing Hanghama.
Amadhila was represented by Richard Tsamaseb, while Nelao Ya France prosecuted.
-mamakali@nepc.com.na