By Roland Routh
WINDHOEK – A 64-year-old man yesterday pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder before Judge Siboleka in the Windhoek High Court.
Eliakim Nampindi who spoke through an Oshiwambo interpreter said not guilty to every charge put to him by State Advocate Ethel Ndlovu.
It is alleged he killed Paul Fredericks, 46, at Hoachanas in the Mariental District on 5 March, 2009. It is further alleged that while out on bail for the first murder and facing a warrant of arrest after he failed to return to court, he allegedly killed his life partner Anetta Jantjies during 3 – 4 August 2011 at Kalkrand. He attempted to kill Salmon Rooinasie by stabbing him with a sharp object in the back on the same night.
According to the summary of facts the accused and Fredericks (the deceased in count 1) were at Farm Onzerust when a quarrel broke out between them over alcohol. It is alleged Fredericks refused to give Nampindi some of the alcohol and removed him from the room.
Nampindi returned after a while with a knife and stabbed Fredericks once in the chest, the indictment reads.
Fredericks died later that same evening as a result of severe internal bleeding and a collapsed lung. The doctor that conducted the autopsy confirmed this during his testimony yesterday.
Dr Gwinyai Kadenge told the court that his primary findings during the autopsy were that Fredericks sustained a deep stab wound to the upper chest that punctured the upper lobe of his lung.
On the second murder charge it is alleged Nampindi who was on the run from the police on the first murder charge arrived at the residence of Jantjies, 38, at Farm Schlip the evening of 3 August, 2011, while she, her daughter and Rooinasie were sitting at the fire.
It is stated he first stabbed Rooinasie in the back in an attempt to kill him and then advanced on Jantjies and stabbed her several times in the abdomen and chest with the same knife. Jantjies died the next morning as a result of the multiple stab wounds.
Dr Kadenge who conducted the post-mortem on Jantjies told the court he found that six stab wounds perforated her stomach and small intestines, which caused her bowels to protrude from her stomach. He further said that her right lung was perforated causing extensive internal bleeding and that her right arm was broken by the force of the attack.
rrouth@newera.com.na