By Roland Routh
WINDHOEK – The murder trial of former police officer Gerhard Komeya, who is accused of killing his prison warden girlfriend Maria Kerttu Tunondjambi Sheehama, 42, at the couple’s house in the Havana residential area of Windhoek September 2011 is struggling to get off the ground. This follows after the matter was postponed several times because Komeya could not hold on to a lawyer appointed for him by the State.
At one stage Komeya told Judge President and Deputy Chief Justice Petrus Damaseb that he wishes to defend himself as they (lawyers) are “dodging him all the time”.
It has however emerged that the lawyers withdrew because of some material misunderstandings between them on “crucial evidence contained in the charge sheet”.
The latest lawyer in the Komeya case, Monty Karuaihe, informed Judge Naomi Shivute at the supposed start of the trial last week that he has some problems with funding to sort out.
Yesterday State Advocate Clint Litubezi told the court that Karuaihe informed him that he managed to sort out the monetary issues, but could not be present at court as he is feeling “under the weather”.
Komeya is charged with counts of murder, alternatively negligent discharge or handling of a firearm, pointing of a firearm, malicious damage to property and defeating or obstructing or attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice.
According to the charge sheet, Komeya on Saturday September 10, 2011 broke, destroyed or damaged a cellphone belonging to the deceased at the residence of the deceased at Erf 594, Omutula Street, whereafter he announced that he would kill the deceased and their children.
It is alleged that he then called them all together and fired shots with his licensed shotgun in their direction.
The charge sheet further states that the deceased was struck in the face and that she died on the scene due to the gunshot injuries sustained.
His two-year-old daughter was also injured in the attack, but fortunately sustained only minor injuries.
It is further alleged that the accused then reloaded his shotgun and pointed it at Rebekka Sheehama, the sister to the deceased, who managed to flee the scene unharmed.
The charge sheet also states that Komeya then locked himself in the house until the police arrived at the scene and ordered him to open the house and that he was then arrested.
It is also alleged that the accused removed, destroyed or otherwise disposed of one or more spent shotgun cartridges or attempted to do so in order to frustrate or interfere with police investigations into the death of the deceased and injuries to the child.
Komeya remains in custody at the Windhoek Prison’s holding cells for trial-awaiting prisoners, after Judge Shivute granted the application to postpone the matter to today.