The fate of a Windhoek resident who confessed under oath of abducting and sexually violating a minor last year is now in the hands of the prosecutor general.
Jeremia van Wyk (51) made an appearance in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court last week before magistrate Johannes Shuuveni where he was informed that his case will be re-submitted to the prosecutor general.
This, according to State prosecutor Tuaundamuje Mukumbo will be done once the statement of the victim has been obtained.
Thus, the State requested the matter to be postponed to next year.
During previous court proceedings, the court was informed by the State the police managed to obtain the victim’s statement after having a hard time doing so.
Magistrate Shuuveni gave a final remand for the prosecutor general to pronounce herself, postponing the matter to 29 January 2021.
Van Wyk has been in police custody since his arrest on 1 August 2019, on a count of rape and a count of abduction with an alternative count of kidnapping.
During his first appearance, Van Wyk confessed to the crimes. He informed the court that he picked up the little girl on the date in question around 13h00 from her school in the area of Khomasdal, Windhoek.
The accused further explained that they walked from the victim’s school to Katutura where he sexually violated the minor.
Van Wyk gave graphic and descriptive details of what he had done to the minor.
Following the sexual violation, he went to drink with his friends while in the company of the victim. It is his testimony that he was highly intoxicated from the drugs and alcohol he had consumed that day.
He further testified that he only realised what he had done after the effects of the drugs and alcohol started to wear off.
The police arrested Van Wyk on 1 August 2019, after he was found in the company of a five-year-old girl who was reported to have gone missing from school earlier in the day. The girl’s picture went viral that day on social media with a short description that she was missing.
Police reports at the time indicated that a member of the public recognised the minor and reported to the police.
According to the Namibian police, prior to his arrest, Van Wyk was released from a correctional facility nearly three years ago, having served a sentence on charges of rape and murder.
– mamakali@nepc.com.na