A Rehoboth resident who allegedly killed his 18-year-old pregnant girlfriend, finally pleaded to a charge of murder, read with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act.

This is almost 10 years after his initial arrest.

Deon Boois (31) pleaded not guilty to the charge, and informed the court that he was not at home when his girlfriend, Barbara Ganses, who was 15 to 16 weeks pregnant with his twin sons, was murdered on 9 December 2012.

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 at 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.

However, it is alleged by the State that after stabbing the victim, the accused wanted his mother and sister to kill/stab him to death because he had stabbed and killed his girlfriend and child. 

According to a summary of substantial facts in the indictment, the accused and the victim were in an actual or perceived intimate romantic relationship at the time of her death, although they did not live together anymore. 

The victim moved back to her mother’s residence about one month prior to her death, leaving the accused to reside at his mother’s house. 

On that fateful evening, the indictment read, the accused and victim were in the accused’s bedroom. The victim then wanted to return home, but the accused asked her to overnight, as it was already dark. 

She agreed, and at night, he stabbed her at least four times over her body with a knife, and she died on the scene due to stab wounds to the heart. 

The mother of the deceased, however, testified that the accused and deceased lived together at his mother’s house as husband and wife, and that the latter did not return to her as stated in the indictment.

A neighbour testified last week that the mother of the accused, now deceased, informed her that Boois had stabbed the deceased.

 Erna Witbooi informed the court that she found the mother, Magdalena, crying. When she enquired why, she was told that “Deon stabbed Barbara, go and look if she is still alive.” She then went, saw the deceased lying in a pool of blood, and proceeded to another neighbour and called the police.

Boois is represented by Joseph Andreas on instructions of Legal Aid, and the prosecution by Taedago Gaweseb. Windhoek High Court Judge Naomi Shivute is presiding.

- rrouth@nepc.com.na