Maria Amakali
Windhoek
Two men who stand accused of stabbing Elton Kaxwab at a local gambling house last year are to remain in police custody until they lodge a formal bail hearing with the court.
Twenty-five-year-old Jentley Hansen and Michael Kaweti, 27, stand accused of inflicting stab wounds on Kaxwab, which caused his death on December 27, 2016. The prosecution is charging the duo with one count of murder.
Hansen and his co-accused Kaweti appeared in Windhoek Magistrate’s Court this week for a formal bail hearing without an attorney, stating that they will conduct their own defence.
However, the pair was informed they face a serious charge of murder and it was therefore advisable that they seek legal representation. The two in turn informed the court that they will not call witnesses to testify in their favour, nor will they seek legal representation.
The prosecution claims that on the day in question the accused men and Kaxwab were at a gambling house on Karsh Street in Katutura when a disagreement erupted which resulted in a fight.
The fight left Kaxwab with multiple stab wounds inflicted all over his body and he later died from the resultant bleeding. The prosecution holds that the two men killed Kaxwab intentionally and with direct intent.
They were being held at Wanaheda police station since their arrest in December, but had to be relocated to Windhoek police station due to security reasons.
They informed the court that they had received death threats from one of the deceased’s relatives, who was also being held at Wanaheda police station.
The State objected to the accused men being granted bail, as there is fear that they will interfere with the police investigation, given that there is an outstanding statement from a security guard, an employee at the gambling house and a photo plan (pictures of the crime scene) that need to be attained.
Furthermore, it would not be in the interest of justice to have the accused released on bail, as the offence of murder is a serious offence the prosecution argued.