The Windhoek Regional Court has postponed the trial hearing of a woman accused of stabbing her 70-year-old boyfriend to death in 2018.
The case was postponed after the State informed the court they were not ready to proceed with the matter as scheduled.
Thus, magistrate Surita Savage postponed the hearing to 1 October.
The prosecution is trying Victoria Gorases (23) with one count of murder for allegedly killing her boyfriend Sakava Nathame.
Nathame died on 25 February 2018 from multiple stab wounds inflicted all over his body.
At the start of her trial, Gorases denied any wrongdoing and informed the court she did not kill Nathame as alleged by prosecution.
The trial is currently on hold waiting for the court to decide if it would grant the defence an opportunity to carry out a second psychiatric evaluation on Gorases.
Gorases’ defence lawyer Kobby Muyumbano requested the court to send his client for a mental evaluation as he believed that she was not in a good mental state to understand court proceedings.
She allegedly seemed disoriented.
Furthermore, she has a history of mental illness.
Although Gorases was already evaluated, Muyumbano said they are disputing the content of the psychiatric evaluation report that was done in 2018.
Dr Lahja Hamunyela, a psychiatrist at the Windhoek Central Hospital and one of the psychologists who evaluated Gorases between 27 June 2018 and 26 July 2018 testified that Gorases was fit to stand trial and can understand court proceedings.
Hamunyela informed the court although Gorases suffers from bipolar type one disorder and is on medication, she is fit to be tried for her alleged crime.
It was Hamunyela’s testimony that Gorases was able to recount past events and she did not show any signs of speech coherent or any signs of pathology.
According to Hamunyela, Gorases informed her that on the date in question she and the victim had an argument.
The deceased was allegedly accusing Gorases of being unfaithful in the relationship.
The argument allegedly got heated and Gorases grabbed the knife and stabbed the victim multiple times.
Gorases recalled that their son found her on top of the victim.
Although having a recollection of the incident, Gorases allegedly did not show any remorse for what she has done.
In her defence, Gorases said that she acted in self-defence when she stabbed Nathame.
– mamakali@nepc.com.na