WALVIS BAY - A cellular phone that didn’t follow commands by altering a message apparently landed its owner in jail on Friday.

“No, the phone wrote I did instead of I didn’t. I did not set the shack on fire. She left the stove on when we left the house,” Alfeus Hamunyela said in court yesterday.

Hamunyela says he inadvertently admitted to a fire through a text message, while he actually wanted to deny his involvement.

He was arrested on Friday for burning down his girlfriend’s shack as well as seven other shacks in Kuisebmond. According to a police report, it is alleged that Hamunyela poured paraffin into his girlfriend’s shack, and set it alight.  

In the process, seven other shacks, a garage and two rooms were destroyed on the premises.

However, Hamunyela yesterday denied the charge, saying his girlfriend left the stove on when they both left the shack.

Magistrate John Sindano told Hamunyela during the court proceedings that his girlfriend had indicated in her statement that the accused admitted to the offence in a text message. 

Hamunyela, who opted to conduct his own defence, denied the charge.

Public prosecutor Annakleta Kandjimi then opposed bail being granted to Hamunyela, saying investigations have still not been finalised. “There are still outstanding witness statements as well as quotations. Thus, I request that the case be postponed to 28 June for further investigations. The accused can in the meantime formally apply for bail,” she submitted. He remains in custody.