Windhoek High Court Judge Dinnah Usiku last week convicted Abraham Maasdorp on a charge of murder with direct intent, and defeating the course of justice.

The judge found that the State, represented by Advocate Basson Lilungwe, proved beyond reasonable doubt that Maasdorp intentionally killed his 10-week pregnant girlfriend, Magda van Wyk (20) on 2 August 2019.

He stabbed her once in the chest, causing her to succumb 11 days later in hospital. 

Maasdorp was charged with a count of defeating the course of justice for allegedly disposing of the knife he used to stab the deceased. 

He was also convicted on this count.

Maasdorp pleaded not guilty to all charges when his trial started.

He indicated that he would not give a witness statement, but put the onus on the State to prove every charge.

Judge Usiku found that the area where the stab was directed – the upper part of the body – proves that the accused acted with direct intent. 

She said the accused’s version that the victim died because of an intervening medical condition – an ectopic pregnancy – is clearly false.

 The doctor who conducted the autopsy concluded that she died because of blood loss caused by a stab wound to the heart. 

“The doctor’s findings were that even if the stab wound could have been small, the deceased continued to bleed gradually, which led the blood to accumulate in the outer layer that protects the heart from the other organs,” the judge stated. 

Judge Usiku added: “The deceased’s outer layer to the heart was also punctured. The blood kept on leaking out into the chest gradually. As a result, the lungs were squeezed to the extent that a lot of blood accumulated in the chest cavity”.

The judge said it must be noted that the accused was stabbed on 2 August 2019 but was only taken to the clinic the next day. 

She stressed that the accused played down the stabbing of the deceased, claiming that it was no one’s business but theirs. 

This shows that the accused acted with the direct intent to kill the victim, the judge remarked. 

With regards to the charge of defeating the course of justice, the judge said that evidence showed that the accused desperately wanted to hide the knife used in the stabbing or destroy it to frustrate police investigations into the stabbing of the deceased. 

Maasdorp is represented by Mbanga Siyomunji, on instructions of Legal Aid. 

His bail was cancelled after his conviction.

 He will return to court on 6 June for mitigation and aggravation of sentence. -rrouth@nepc.com.na