A Windhoek teacher who is accused of fatally stabbing his wife multiple times and slitting her stomach in April last year is yet to attain legal representation for his case.
The accused Patrick Geingob (38) made an appearance in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court and informed the presiding officer that although he has applied for a lawyer with the Directorate of Legal Aid, they are yet to assign one to his case.
Geingob made the submission after the court enquired about the status of his application. Geingob has been appearing in court without a lawyer since his arrest in April 2019.
Consequently, magistrate Johannes Shuuveni postponed the case to 13 October to allow Geingob to attain a lawyer for his defence. Geingob, who appeared from custody, was arrested in April 2019 after he handed himself over to the police.
He currently faces a charge of murder read with the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act for the death of his wife and mother of his children, Merentha Geingos. Geingos died on 14 April 2019. It is alleged Geingob arrived home late that night and he had an argument with Geingos, which resulted in him stabbing her. The incident occurred in the couple’s home in Okuryangava, Katutura.
In a post-mortem report that was handed in as part of the evidence in Geingob’s failed bail application, it is recorded that Geingos was stabbed 12 times.
Two of the injuries she sustained, one stab wound to the abdomen and a deep stab wound to her right thigh, were potentially fatal, the report states.
According to court records, in October 2015, Geingob was also arrested for allegedly raping a learner at a Katutura school where he was stationed as a teacher. Geingob had allegedly turned himself in to the police upon hearing he was being investigated for the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl learner.
He was then arrested but was eventually granted bail. The case ended up being struck from the court roll because the police investigations were not concluded in the matter.
For his current case, Geingob is being detained at the Windhoek central prison pending his trial as all police investigations have been finalised.
– mamakali@nepc.com.na