Roland Routh

“According to my instructions, my client says he never attempted to kill himself.”

This is what Joseph Andreas, the Legal Aid-instructed lawyer for 31-year-old murder accused Deon Boois told a witness on
Tuesday, who testified about alleged cuts on the right side of the accused’s neck.

Boois is facing a charge of murder, read with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act, for allegedly stabbing his then girlfriend, Barbara Ganses (18), who was 15 to 16 weeks pregnant with his twin sons, to death on 9 December 2012.

He pleaded not guilty at the start of his trial, and provided an alibi. According to him, he was invited by a friend, whom he only identified as Steven, at around 18h00 on the day in question to have a drink at his place. He then purchased two beers and went to Steven’s place, whom he found with a bottle of brandy. They consumed the alcohol and watched movies, and he left around 23h00,
he said. He went on to say that when he arrived at his room, he found the deceased lying dead on the floor with their small child beside her. “I then took the child and ran to my sister, Evengeline Eixas, and reported to her that I found Barbara, who was stabbed to death, in my room,” he explained.

Chief inspector Charles Goagoseb yesterday informed Windhoek High Court Judge Naomi Shivute that he was on standby duty when he received a text message about a murder in Rehoboth’s Block E location, and immediately went to the scene. Upon arrival, he found a young woman lying on the floor next to a bed in a pool of blood. He felt for a pulse, but could not find any, and then instructed his subordinates to take the body to the hospital for confirmation of death. On his way back to the police station, he received another text message which informed him that the suspect who tried to kill himself was holed up in a nearby house, the officer testified. 

He then went to the house, where he
found Boois, who had blood and what appeared to be shallow cuts on the right side of his neck. Goagoseb added that he then informed Boois of his rights, arrested him, and took him to the police station in Rehoboth.

During cross-examination, Andreas wanted to know from the officer whether he had seen the cuts clearly. The officer replied that he saw fresh blood, and assumed it was from cuts to the neck. He said he did not take Boois to hospital, as the latter did not ask for medical intervention.

Goagoseb continued that he received the alleged murder weapon, a knife with a black handle, from sergeant Adolf Gowaseb. He had sent Gowaseb and sergeant Jacques Julius – both constables at the time – to fetch the knife after he received information that it was at the house of the accused’s sister. All three of them identified the knife in court. Andreas, however, again indicated to the witnesses that his client denies any knowledge of the knife. He said his instructions from Boois are that he has never in his life seen the knife in question. The matter was remanded to Friday when the State will call its last witness.

The prosecution is represented by Taedago Gaweseb.  - rrouth@nepc.com.na