2018-06-25Staff Report 2 Nuusita Ashipala OSHAKATI - A 38-year-old man who accuses his ex-girlfriend of stealing his manhood told the court in mitigation of sentence that he needs a traditional healer to restore his ‘stolen’ sexual potency. Erickson Uudhila was sentenced to two years imprisonment of which six months were suspended for four years on condition he is not convicted of arson or any other violent offence. He was sentenced by Magistrate Castro Makapa Simasiku on Wednesday. The father of three asked the court to give him a lesser sentence from the proposed sentence of five years. Uudhila during cross-examination on Tuesday told the court that he was informed by his uncle that if he is not treated early, his manhood might never be restored. Uudhila faced two charges at the start of his trial but was on Tuesday acquitted of assault by threat as the court was not convinced Uudhila intended to kill Eveline Shithigona, his ex-girlfriend. Magistrate Simasiku during sentencing said there is a need to reform Uudhila before he is released into society because he still believes Shithigona is the cause of his own problem. The magistrate said the offence is prevalent thus there is a need for deterrence. “I agree with the State that this crime is one that warrants a custodial sentence. It has some elements of violence and was premeditated,” Simasiku said. Uudhila has already spent 10 months in custody since his arrest on August 31, 2017. He was arrested for setting on fire a room Shithigona and seven other people were sleeping in. He also intended to commit suicide and even wrote a suicide note. Shithigona denied Uudhila’s testimony and demanded to be shown proof that he no longer has his manhood. “If it is true that he does not have his manhood, then I want to see that it is not there,” said Shithigona. Uudhila was convinced his manhood was taken away by Shithigona as she had on two occasions rubbed his manhood and face against her panties. All three acts, Uudhila told the court, left him to conclude that they were acts aimed at the removal of his manhood. He also told the court he had attempted to cheat on Shithigona with other women, but that each time he tried he failed to have an erection. 2018-06-25Staff Report 2
