Convicted student murderer Victor Elia is set to be sentenced this morning in the Windhoek High Court. The 40-year-old was convicted of murdering his student girlfriend and dumping her remains along the B1 road in January 2017.

Last month, High Court Judge Eileen Rakow convicted Elia on a charge of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and defeating or obstructing the course of justice.

All charges are in relation with the death of his girlfriend Iyaloo Ndapandula Hainghumbi (25) between 16 and 17 January 2017.

It is alleged that Elia, who was in a three-year relationship with the victim, received a text message from her on the morning of 16 January 2017, informing him she has a new boyfriend. 

This message was sent to Elia after the victim spent the weekend of 13 to 15 January 2017 with the new boyfriend by the name of Paavo, who had come to visit her from the coast, it is stated. 

Although Paavo was investigated by the police as a potential witness, he was not indicted due to lack of evidence.

It is further stated that Elia met up with the victim during the period 16 and/or 17 January 2017 in Windhoek and killed her by kicking and/or beating her all over her body and head with unknown objects, whereafter he robbed her of a cellular phone.

Having killed the victim, he dumped her body next to the city’s Western Bypass highway and stole her cell phone, handbag, jacket and pair of shoes.

He then allegedly disposed of the stolen items and cleaned the vehicle with which he had transported the victim’s body to the scene where it was later found to remove traces of blood in an attempt to destroy or conceal evidence of the killing.

Through the trial, Elia denied all the allegations against him and left it to the State to prove their case against him.

The State is seeking life imprisonment.

Salomon Kanyemba, on behalf of the State, submitted that the life imprisonment sentence befits the crimes that Victor Elia is convicted of. 

“He could have gotten away with murder should he have succeeded with obstructing the course of justice. Thus, we propose life imprisonment on the charge of murder, five years on a count robbery and three years for defeating the course of justice,” submitted Kanyemba. 

However, defence lawyer Mbanga Siyomunji strongly opposed the proposed sentence, citing that it was too harsh. 

“The court should put into consideration that the accused is a first-time offender and, thus, the court should not impose a life imprisonment sentence,” said Siyomunji. 

- rrouth@nepc.com.na