A man who was on trial for killing his pregnant girlfriend and a man who tried to defend her from him was convicted on two counts of murder in Oshakati High Court last week.
Judge Johanna Salionga convicted Johannes Ambondo David on two counts of murder after the court came to the conclusion that he was not acting in self-defence as he had claimed during the trial when he stabbed his victims to death in 2017. However, David got acquitted on a charge of attempted murder.
David was on trial on counts of attempted murder, murder and murder read with the provisions of Combating Domestic Violence Act, charges he denied.
The two murder charges stem from the tragic incident that occurred on 14 August 2017 in Ondumbo location in the district of Outapi. It is alleged that on the date in question, David dragged his pregnant girlfriend and mother to his two children Ndapanda Nekwaya from a shebeen and started kicking her in the stomach.
David allegedly wanted to find out why Nekwaya did not send the children to pick up school clothing he had bought for them.
As the assault was ongoing, Johannes Taapopi Uukongo tried to intervene in defence of Nekwaya but David stabbed him in the chest. Uukongo consequently died at the scene due to the stab wound.
David then proceeded to stab his pregnant girlfriend nine times with a knife. Nekwaya died at Oshakati state hospital on 15 August 2017 as a result of multiple stab wounds on her body.
After the stabbings, David fled the scene but was arrested by the police the following day.
The charge of attempted murder stems from the incident that occurred on 8 August 2017 at Okeeholongo location, Outapi. David allegedly got into an argument with Joseph Ashipala.
The convict allegedly got angry and took out a knife and with intent to stab Ashipala but only managed to cut his shirt. During a tussle, Ashipala bit David on the shoulder and managed to escape.
“The accused’s actions on that day were a clear manifestation of his aggression and in spite of all these, the events of that day are damning against the accused person. The killing of Nekwaya might have occurred in a spur of a moment but safe to conclude that there was no manifestation of imminent danger or attack from any of the victims,” said Judge Salionga. During the trial, David took a no guilty plea to the charges. In his defence, he said he was attacked by the victims and as a result had to defend himself.