A former teacher who allegedly stabbed his wife 12 times in front of their children, causing her death, was referred for mental observation by Windhoek High Court Judge Christie Liebenberg last week.

The judge made the order after lawyer Jermaine Muchali, who is representing the accused on instructions of the Directorate of Legal Aid, applied for mental observation as his client has been suffering from severe depression even before the incident. It is alleged by the State that Patrick Geingob (38) killed his wife, Merentha Geingos, in the kitchen of their marital home in Okuryangava by stabbing her with a knife 12 times in front of their children. 

Geingos died on 14 April 2019. She was transported to the Katutura State Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries upon arrival. During Geingob’s failed bail hearing, the court was informed that he arrived home late that night and had an argument with Geingos, which resulted in him stabbing her.

In a post-mortem report that was submitted as part of the evidence in Geingob’s bail application, it is recorded that Geingos was stabbed 12 times. Two of the injuries she sustained - one stab wound to the abdomen and a deep stab wound to her right thigh - were potentially fatal, the report states. The accused is facing a charge of murder, read with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act, one count of defeating or obstructing the course of justice, one count of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and one count of common assault. The obstructing charges are because he allegedly unlawfully and with the intention to defeat the course of justice removed and/or discarded his shirt and shorts at a residence which is a distance away from the crime scene. The assault charges emanate from an incident during 2011 when he allegedly hit the deceased with an open hand with the intent to cause her serious bodily harm, and that he also slapped one Ragel Boois in the face.

According to the charge-sheet, the accused and deceased had a tumultuous relationship characterised by fights, with the deceased at one time obtaining a final protection order against the accused. The protection order was valid from February 2014 until February 2017. It is further stated that the deceased and their children were asleep on the night in question when the accused arrived and loudly demanded entrance into the residence. The deceased opened the door and voiced her displeasure at his behaviour, and went to the bedroom. Geingob then went to the kitchen and armed himself with a knife and attacked the deceased. People who resided on the erf managed to remove the knife from him, and he went to a friend’s place where he got rid of the clothing, it is further alleged. 

Thereafter, Geingob handed himself over to the police, and has been detained ever since at the section for trial-awaiting inmates at the Windhoek Correctional Facility. The matter was postponed to 21 October for a hearing on the status of the mental evaluation.