Maria Amakali
An Okahandja resident accused of killing a man and burying him with two dogs on his father’s farm seven years ago is scheduled to receive new dates for his trial to resume.
During his appearance on bail in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court, Karl Friedrich Eichhoff (37) was informed that his matter will be postponed to 23 October for fixing of trial dates.
Eickhoff’s trial, which started in 2017, was deferred during the lockdown period due to Covid-19 regulation.
Eichhoff is on trial on charges of murder, defeating or obstructing the course of justice, or attempting to do so, and ill-treatment of animals.
The prosecution is alleging that he shot and killed Cornelius Slinger (51). He then attempted to conceal his crime by burying the body alongside two dogs he had shot, in warthog burrows.
The tragic shooting incident took place at Eichhoff father’s farm in Okahandja district on 6 October 2013.
According to the post-mortem report, Slinger died from blood loss caused by a gunshot wound. The fatal bullet struck him on his right leg, just below the buttock, went through the leg, nearly destroyed his private parts, and entered his left leg.
The report further indicated Slinger was walking or running when he got shot.
Eichhoff pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and ill-treatment of animals but admitted guilt on a count of attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice when he took the stand at the start of his trial in July 2017.
In his plea explanation, he told the court he did not see any human being when he fired shots at four dogs that were on the farm.
But he admitted that one of the shots he fired might have struck Slinger and caused his death.
He explained that on the day in question, he was at the water point on the farm when he heard dogs barking. He allegedly started walking in their direction to see what was going on as they had had issues with poaching on the farm.
He approached a busy area and came across four dogs and he started shooting at them. As a result of the shooting, he killed two dogs. After he got closer to the dogs, he allegedly saw a man lying dead under a bush.
Due to fear and panic, he decided to bury Slinger alongside the dead dogs. Slinger’s body was discovered two days later after a search carried out by the police and residents from a neighbouring resettlement farm where Slinger lived.
Eichhoff confessed and was arrested. He showed police where he had buried Slinger.
– mamakali@nepc.com.na