Iuze Mukube
The trial of three men who allegedly attacked and killed Stanley Sebastian Cloete by stabbing him with sharp objects before fleeing the scene in his vehicle, has been transferred to the High Court.
This follows the decision of Prosecutor General Martha Imalwa yesterday to transfer the matter from the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court to the High Court.
The accused Erastus Mwalipeni Gabriel (39), Iyambo Nicodemus Hango (20) and Abast Nyanyukweni Alex Muya (25) all faced charges of murder, robbery and theft of a motor vehicle in the Lower Court.
They also faced an additional charge of possession of suspected stolen property.
Magistrate Jurina Hochobes, who presided over the matter, read the decision into the record.
According to the PG’s decision, the trio will be arraigned in the High Court on charges of murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and defeating or obstructing the course of justice or an attempt thereto.
Additionally, the accused are expected to make a first court appearance in the High Court on 18 February 2026 for a pre-trial conference.
This is a court session where issues such as legal representation and other problems will be solved, and a date is set to bring the matter to a final resolution.
The allegations stemmed from an incident that occurred on 2 March 2024 in Windhoek, where Cloete was allegedly assaulted and killed by the three accused.
The State alleges that the trio, with the intention to force Cloete into submission, assaulted him by tying him up on both arms and legs.
They stabbed him with a sharp object and made off with various properties valued at more than N$69 000.
The accused further, in the Havana settlement in Windhoek, stole and fled in a black Nissan [motor vehicle] valued at N$70 000, which was in the lawful possession of Cloete.
On 7 March 2024, Hango and Muya were found in possession of goods that were suspected to have been stolen from the victim.
They were charged with the offence, as they were unable to give a satisfactory account of such possession.
The three tendered a plea of not guilty to all charges in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court, in June this year and placed the onus on the State to prove all the charges.
The State is represented by Steven Haradoeb.