The Windhoek Regional court has given an order to have the trial of a 24-year-old man, accused of murder, to start afresh.
This comes after the trial came to a standstill following the departure of now-former magistrate Alina Nandago from the service of the judiciary.
Magistrate Alexis Diegaardt ordered that the matter start over – setting the date for 6 and 7 April 2021 for plea and trial.
Faizel Jason Minnies is accused of stabbing to death Rafael Romanus Marishane in May 2014.

Prosecution alleges Minnies intentionally killed Marishane by stabbing him with a knife in Otjomuise, Windhoek, between  5 and 7 May 2014. 
The post-mortem report indicated Marishane died from a penetrating wound to the heart inflicted on him from the back.
It is alleged the victim left his home for a drink at a local bar but was never seen again, only to be discovered with a stab wound by locals a few days later. Minnies denies guilt, testifying during his bail application that the victim was already stabbed the moment they started having an argument, which later led to them wrestling.  

According to his version, he, together with other friends, were out drinking in the vicinity of Otjomuise on the date in question. The victim came running towards him after he was robbed by someone else. 
After the ordeal, a tussle between Minnies and the victim occurred, and allegedly, his friend Quinton Cloete (21) handed him a knife so he could stab the victim for him to leave him alone. Minnies said he attempted to stab him but he missed, and the victim fled the scene and walked into a bar, leaving the two behind.

Minnies was initially charged alongside Cloete; however, due to lack of evidence, the prosecutor general decided not to charge him with murder.
Since the duo was only arrested on 22 August 2014, they had managed to get themselves into more trouble with the law. 
Minnies and Cloete have two more cases of assault read with the provisions of combating gender-based violence and robbery, which are still on the roll. - mamakali@nepc.com.na