The trial of a man who allegedly killed his employer in Swakopmund in August 2017 has grind to a halt as he is currently without any legal representation.

Unaaro Mbemukenga, (27) made an appearance before High Court Judge Orben Sibeya yesterday and informed the court that he has not gotten any response from the Directorate of Legal Aid about his application for a legal representative. 

Mbemukenga was left without a lawyer after his defence counsel Mbanga Siyomunji withdrew his services in November last year due to irreconcilable differences. 

During the proceedings, Judge Sibeya gave an order to summon a representative from Legal Aid to explain why Mbemukenga has not been assigned a lawyer yet. Furthermore, he postponed the matter to Friday, remanding Mbemukenga in police custody at Windhoek Correctional Facility.

The 27-year-old is being tried on charges of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances, to which he took a no guilty plea at the start of his trial last year. 
The charges stem from the death of 78-year-old Manfred Karl Hartmann, a pensioner from Germany who retired in Swakopmund.

The prosecution is alleging that Mbemukenga was employed by Hartmann as a gardener for nearly two months. 

It is alleged he attacked Hartmann with a brick and then bound his hands behind his back and strangled him with an electric wire that was fastened to a wash basin in an outside toilet at the deceased’s residence.
The deceased died as a result of strangulation, according to medical reports.
Mbemukenga allegedly also robbed the deceased of N$1 500 in cash, a laptop, two cellphones, clothes and bedding.

He was arrested by the police two days after the incident in Outjo where he was shot in the leg for trying to evade arrest. He currently has difficulties walking and uses clutches for assistance.
During the trial, Mbemukenga’s former girlfriend implicated him when she took the stand to testify. 
It was her testimony that the red cap with white stripes, and which was frayed on the front peak, found next to the deceased’s body belonged to Mbemukenga. 

She testified that he wore the cap to work on the date in question.
Cliff Lutibezi is prosecuting for the State. 
- mamakali@nepc.com.na