Murder suspect walks free

Home National Murder suspect walks free

By John Muyamba

RUNDU – A case of murder was provisionally withdrawn from the Rundu court due to no response from the Prosecutor-General, Martha Ekandjo-Imalwa, as the case was awaiting a decision from her office.

Ekandjo-Imalwa is in charge of Namibia’s prosecutions and determines whether or not to prosecute cases that are referred to her office.
The suspect, Joseph Epamba (also known as Buta), was arrested on August 28, 2013, at Donkerhoek in Rundu after he allegedly killed his wife, Isabela Epamba, by stabbing her with a knife.

He made his first appearance in court on September 2, 2013, and he was denied bail at that time. He was only granted N$5 000 bail on his third court appearance on December 4, 2013.

According to the court, the case has been dragging on, as they had sent the docket to the Prosecutor-General in Windhoek for her ruling on whether to prosecute.

Epamba, who was 35 at the time of arrest in 2013, walked free after Rundu magistrate, Esmee Molefe, provisionally withdrew his case in the Rundu lower court last week Thursday.

Petrus Strauss of Strauss Attorneys law firm in Rundu represented Epamba, Molefe presided over the case while Albert Titus prosecuted.