Iuze Mukube
The mother of a one-year-old baby, whose body was discovered buried in a shallow grave on Farm Bucholtzbrunn in 2023, bearing multiple stab wounds to the neck, chest and abdomen, was found guilty of killing the infant yesterday.
Vapeni Lucia Boois was tried in the Windhoek High Court before Judge Philanda Christiaan.
The 36-year-old faced a charge of murder and defeating or obstructing the course of justice in connection with the death of her baby boy, Amare Alejandro Jose Boois on 10 November 2023.
Judge Christiaan stated that corroborated evidence established that the accused reclaimed and removed the baby from his paternal care before the incident and showed mental instability and uncontrollable possession over the baby.
Evidence also places the accused at the scene of the crime, observed walking to the farm alongside the railway line, carrying a baby and baby items.
“The deceased was in the custody of the accused. She alone walked with him into an isolated area of the veld. She alone exited that area. There is no indication of the presence of a third party,” stated the judge.
Evidence therefore establishes that immediately prior to his death, the deceased was in the sole custody of the accused, she added.
Additionally, Boois’ spontaneous admissions that she decided to kill herself and the child to end both their suffering were found to be consistent, detailed, and backed by objective facts.
Christiaan, therefore, found that the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused caused the fatal injuries that led to the death of her one-year-old.
On intention, Christiaan stated that facts showed that Boois foresaw death as a certain consequence of her conduct and proceeded regardless.
“The deceased was an infant of tender age, entirely defenceless. The accused armed herself with a sharp, pointed object and directed repeated blows at vital parts of his small body,” said the judge.
Medical evidence established that the infant’s death resulted from repeated stabbing with a sharp pointed object to the neck, abdomen and back.
“These injuries were directed at vital organs, consistent with repeated, deliberate force and incompatible with accidental harm.”
She, therefore, found that Boois acted with dolus directus, which is direct intention to kill.
Additionally, Boois had direct intent to kill, as after stabbing the child, she left him buried face down in a shallow grave in an isolated veld, with no attempt to seek or obtain help.
For the second count, she found that the accused, after stabbing the deceased, took his body to a remote location on Farm Bucholtzbrunn.
There, she dug a shallow grave, placed the body face down, covered it with sand and stones, and placed a Bible on his back.
Afterwards, she set a fire in which clothing and other items were partially burned, these included personal belongings of the baby and herself.
Christiaan ruled that the choice of a secluded area, burying the body and burning clothing revealed a clear effort to conceal the crime and destroy traces that might link Boois to the killing.
Emma Mayavero, representing the State, submitted for aggravation in pre-sentencing proceedings that occurred after the verdict, that the accused be sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment for the count of murder and one year for defeating the course of justice.
The accused opted to remain silent.
The matter was postponed for sentencing to Friday.
Photo: Heather Erdmann