2018-07-27Staff Report 2 Maria Amakali WINDHOEK – The prosecutor-general has decided to prosecute Victor Elia for the murder of his girlfriend Iyaloo Ndapandula Hainghumbi, whose body was discovered along the road last year. Elia, 36, is facing a charge of murder, read with the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act, for the gruesome murder of Haingumbi, 25. A long distance bus driver, Elia is expected to make his first appearance in the Windhoek High Court on September 20 for the start of his trial. Hainghumbi’s body was discovered by passers-by dumped along the B1 road to Okahandja on January 17, 2017. It was established that Hainghumbi died after being hit multiple times on the head with an unknown object, then later was dumped along the road. According to the prosecution, Elia was not so happy that Hainghumbi wanted to end their three-year relationship, thus the brutal killing. Family members who are always present during court proceedings say that Hainghumbi had made up her mind about their relationship, as it had reached the end of the road, which Elia refused to accept. According to state witnesses who testified during Elia’s failed bail hearing last year, Hainghumbi on that fateful day met up with friends in town but later had to leave to allegedly meet up with someone else, and it is alleged that person is Elia. It is alleged that even though Hainghumbi had made up her mind about ending the relationship, Elia had convinced her that it would be for the best of both of them if they were to discuss the matter face to face. The investigator dealing with the case testified that Elia and Hainghumbi had used the same Hakahana service network tower the night before she disappeared, which is in the vicinity of where Elia resided. Furthermore, the blood found in Elia’s bus matched that of Hainghumbi. Dispute being the last person to have seen Hainghumbi alive, Elia has maintained that he is innocent and he allegedly only met up with Hainghumbi on January 13, 2017 at Hakahana service station to hand her money that she had requested from him earlier. He further explained that the blood spatters found in his bus were from the meat he was transporting for his customers. Elia had explained that while in custody he found out that Hainghumbi had double-crossed him as she was seeing someone else who resided in Swakopmund while they were still together. Elia is represented by defence counsel Stanley Kavetu. 2018-07-27Staff Report 2
