ONGWEDIVA - The Oshakati high court this week sentenced Fransisco Gerson Joao to an effective 30 years imprisonment for the direct murder of his girlfriend.

Joao was convicted of murdering his girlfriend and mother of his child Mirjam Selma Amutenya who he stabbed five times with a screwdriver.

The incident happened at Omakuku in the Outapi district on 20 December 2011.
The deceased died on the scene as a result of multiple stab wounds.
Judge Herman January while handing down the sentence said life is sacred of which its protection is enshrined in the Namibian Constitution.

Given the aforementioned, murder is considered as the most serious crime and the courts will fail in their duty if offenders are not harshly dealt with to deter convicted and would be offenders.

“The interest of society must be protected and seen to be protected.  In the circumstances it is inescapable that the accused will have to serve a long term of imprisonment. This is in my view, an extreme case of a cold blooded and brutal murder,” said judge January.

The judge further said he is of the opinion that Joao pre-meditated his girlfriend’s murder as he attacked her by surprise from the back.

“The deceased was defenseless when she met her death.  The wounds were inflicted from her back.  The evidence shows that she was fleeing from the accused. The accused waylaid the deceased and attacked by surprise. This in my view indicates that the accused pre-meditated and planned the crime,” January said.
The victim’s mother, Ndilimeke Nghikevali said although she has forgiven her daughter’s killer, she refuses to accept his apology in court, saying it was not sincere.