RUNDU – Jesaya Gabriel Chuhunda, 20, accused of bludgeoning to death five family members at Ndama location in Rundu in July last year, was declared unfit to stand trial based on the medical report received by the court.
The accused, who was held in police custody since he was arrested in July 2018, appeared before Rundu magistrate Sonia Samupofu while public prosecutor Helvy Gorases represented the state. Due to that report, when Jesaya was brought to court yesterday for his routine appearance the state made a submission for Chuhunda to be transferred to a mental facility.
Jesaya was denied bail due to the seriousness of the crime and was recently referred by the Rundu magistrates’ office for mental observation in terms of sections 77, 78 and 79 of the Criminal Procedure Act.
In 2016 Jesaya was also arrested and appeared in court for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and that case was also removed from the court role due the fact that he is mentally and unfit to stand trial.
“May the matter be withdrawn because he is not mentally sound to make a proper defence,” requested the public prosecutor Helvy Gorases.