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Home / ‘Drunk’ motorist acquitted over three deaths
‘Drunk’ motorist acquitted over three deaths
2017-09-28Staff Report 2 Maria Amakali Windhoek-Morne Mouton, who allegedly was the drunk driver when three people died in an accident that occurred in Hochland Park in July 2015, walked out of the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday a free man. Mouton, who appeared in court before magistrate Vanessa Stanley, got his case struck from the roll and his N$6,000 bail money refunded because of the prosecution’s mishaps. “There have been many delays in this case which has been on the roll since July 2015, more than two years ago. The state had ample time to get its house in order,” said Stanley. Mouton was expected to take the stand for plea and trial on charges of culpable homicide and driving under the influence of alcohol in connection with the death of a police officer and two civilians, but the state could not proceed with the case because of multiple reasons. The prosecution indicated that the docket was not in court and the witnesses also not in court since they had not been subpoenaed. “We apologise to the accused for the inconvenience because we know that he is entitled to a speedy trial,” explained state prosecutor Joseph Andreas. Mouton’s defence lawyer Sisa Namandje explained that the state failed to avail the docket to the defence for the preparation of the trial even though it was requested in April, adding that the prosecution should exercise efficiency in its offices. “If in future the state is ready to proceed, we will cooperate with the court but the matter cannot be postponed while the docket is not even at court,” stated Namandje before the matter was removed from the court roll. According to the prosecution, before the three victims were run over police officials had been attending to a housebreaking incident in Hochland Park. They then stopped along Sam Nujoma Drive after noticing suspicious activity in the riverbed. Police officer, 35-year-old Manfred Gaoseb, and two civilians, namely 22-year-old Werner Simon and Joshua Ngenokesho, were standing on the sidewalk next to a stationary vehicle when they got run over by Mouton. The car, which was speeding, bumped into the police car that was stationary, consequently hitting Gaoseb and two men, killing them instantly. 2017-09-28Staff Report 2
