Roland Routh
Windhoek-The trial of Johny Ryno Diergaardt, who is accused of stabbing his girlfriend at least 27 times, is set for October 16 to 27 before the Windhoek High Court, it was announced on Monday.
Diergaardt allegedly stabbed his girlfriend in front of her four-year-old son
Judge Nate Ndauendapo, who has been allocated the trial, disclosed this to the defence and prosecution team.
Diergaardt will however return to court on May 10 to inform the court whether he secured funds for a private psychiatric observation he wants.
He was already seen by State psychiatrists at the Windhoek Psychiatry Unit and declared fit to stand trial.
According to the psychiatric report he is able to understand court proceedings, to give instructions to his legal representative and can appreciate between right and wrong.
Boris ‘The Mouth’ Isaacks who is representing Diergaardt requested Judge Christi Liebenberg during pre-trial proceedings to send Diergaardt for psychiatric observations as the latter claims he cannot recall any of the events of the day in question.
Diergaardt is charged with the murder of Tiffany Tanita Lewin on March 3, 2014 at the room he rented at Erf 427, Garnet Street in Khomasdal.
According to the indictment, Lewin and her son arrived during the early evening hours to collect some property which the accused earlier the same day removed from her handbag.
He then stabbed her at least 27 times with knives after which he fled the scene.
Media reports at the time indicated the four-year-old boy tried to intervene and managed to stab the accused on his upper thigh in an attempt to stop the accused from continuing to stab his mother.
The deceased died on the scene due to blood loss.
The accused was arrested when he returned to his room later that night.
Diergaardt through Isaacks is disputing the findings of the State psychiatrists and is seeking to secure funding, either from legal aid or from private resources to undergo further psychiatric observations.
The May appearance will be to inform Judge Ndauendapo about the status of his private consultations. The October appearance is to be provisionally dependent on whether Diergaardt succeeds in securing funds for a private psychiatric observation and the results thereof.
He remains in custody at the Windhoek Correctional Facility’s section for trial-awaiting prisoners.
The Deputy Prosecutor General, Advocate Antonia Verhoef, represented the State.