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Home / Lawyer testifies about assaults on murder suspects
Lawyer testifies about assaults on murder suspects
2018-01-31Staff Report 2 Roland Routh Windhoek-Windhoek-based lawyer Thomas Andimba testified in the Windhoek High before Acting Judge Johanna Salionga in the ongoing murder for hire trial about what he observed when he went to see Dollam Dollam Tjitjahuma, 27, accused 6 in the trial at the Wanaheda Police Station shortly after his arrest. According to Andimba, Tjitjahuma’s mother came to see him at his office and asked him to arrange bail for her son, but most of all to arrange for him to be seen by a doctor as he was in severe pain and could barely walk due to alleged beatings by the police. Andimba told the judge that he knew Tjitjahuma well enough and when he went to see him he could immediately see that something serious was wrong. He was walking with difficulty and was obviously in a lot of pain, Andimba said. “I then asked him what was wrong and he told me that I must organise for him to see a doctor as he was in pain because of assaults by the police,” Andimba told Judge Salionga. He went on to say that at that stage David Kondjara, 32, also joined them and pleaded with him to help him (Kondjara) as he was also severely assaulted by the police. He however told Kondjara that he could not help him as he did not represent him, but only Tjitjahuma. He however promised to do something for Kondjara as he could see he was in dire straits, Andimba said. The lawyer further told the court that both Kondjara and Tjitjahuma lifted their T-shirts and he could observe bruises on their upper bodies. Tjitjahuma tried to report the assaults and open a case against the police who abused him, but the case was never lodged, New Era has learned. Tjitjahuma, Kondjara, David Matali, 45, Abuid Uazeua and Donald Hindjou were hired by accused 1, Annastancia Nalucha Lubinda, 34, to kill her husband Peter Riscoh Muleke, 36, the State is alleging. Lubinda, Kondjara and Hindjou all made admissions to the police and confessions to magistrates which they are now disputing. The all claim that they were assaulted and threatened by the police, especially investigating officer, Sergeant Malakia Nuule, to make the confessions and were told what to say to the magistrates. They all claim to be have been traumatised by the continuous beatings and threats that they agreed to whatever Nuule wanted from them. Hindjou started with his testimony on Friday and continued in the same vein as Lubinda and Kondjara with claims that he was assaulted so severely that he did whatever Nuule wanted from him. He also claimed that after his confession, he tried to make a case of assault against Nuule, but it was refused. Lubinda alone is charged with murder read with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act while her co-accused are charged with murder. They also face a charge of robbery with aggravating circumstances for robbing the deceased of his cellphone and SIM card while hitting him with stones and other unknown objects. According to the summary of facts in the indictment, the accused conspired to kill Muleke. The lifeless body of Muleke was found near Penduka at the Goreangab Dam on March 30 last year. The State is represented by Advocate Marthino Olivier, Lubinda by Milton Engelbrecht, Matali by Trevor Brockerhoff, Kondjara by Tuna Nhinda, Mbanga Siyomunji acts for Uazeua, Meriam Kenaruzo for Hindjou and Bronell Uirab for Tjitjahuma all on instruction of Legal Aid; and the suspects remain in custody. The case continues today. 2018-01-31Staff Report 2
