WINDHOEK – A former Global Fund employee who is accused of killing his supervisor and injuring an ex-colleague in the Windhoek city centre in January says he acted in self-defense.

Testifying during his ongoing formal bail hearing in Windhoek Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Simataa Simasiku, 33, testified that he was acting in self-defense on the fateful day when his boss Sara Mwilima and Ester Amupolo got shot. 

A largely tight-lipped Simasiku refused to get into further details when he was asked by state prosecutor Rowan van Wyk to further explain himself. 

“If you knew the facts you would know that I was acting in self-defense.”
Simasiku informed the court that he will give his full version of what transpired on January 28 during his trial. 
The father of two said once he gives his side of the story the public, which he says is currently very biased against him, would no longer consider him guilty. 

Van Wyk however informed Simasiku that he is disadvantaging himself by not revealing information because the court will be forced to make a decision solely based on the facts at hand. 

The state is strongly opposing the release of Simasiku, who has been in prison for four months now.
According to the state, investigations into the matter are not complete and there is fear that Simasiku will interfere with state witnesses and ongoing investigations. 

Furthermore, there is fear that he will abscond and it would not be in the public interest or administration of justice to release Simasiku on bail pending his trial.

The prosecution charged  the accused with counts of murder and attempted murder.
Mwilima did not survive the attack and was declared dead on the scene while Amupolo who was shot in the neck is currently recovering. 

Simasiku intends on taking a no guilty plea to the charges. In his quest to convince the court to grant him bail, he said he has no intention of fleeing since he handed himself over to the police after the shooting. Motivating his bail application, he testified that he does not own travelling documents and does not intend on acquiring new ones either.  

The accused informed the court that he can afford N$2000 bail, with conditions attached. The bail hearing is ongoing. Defense attorney Henry Shimutwikeni is representing Simasiku, with Magistrate Vanessa Stanley presiding.