A murder convict was sentenced to an effective 28 years imprisonment in the Oshakati High Court this week by acting Judge David Munsu for the murder of a man who came to the rescue of a woman he had assaulted.

Angula Erastus Angula (28) stabbed Johannes Mupopiwa at least 13 times all over his body, causing his intestines to hang outside his stomach on 19 December 2018 at Olukulo village in the Outapi district. 

The incident happened after Angula did not have enough money to pay for alcohol he had ordered. When the owner of the establishment, Rebekka Ndatila Nashilongo  objected, he hit her on the face with a fist. 

When Mupopiwa came to the rescue of Nashilongo, he was stabbed to death. Munsu said the stabbing was unprovoked and unnecessary. According to the judge, the first assault on the deceased was already subdued when Angula took out his knife and pursued the deceased until the latter fell down. 

Angula, despite the deceased begging him to stop, continued stabbing the deceased 13 times on the arms, abdomen and back, inflicting serious injuries that led to his death.

“He died a degrading death, with his intestines left exposed and hanging outside the abdomen,” Munsu stated. 

He said the stabbing incident was a prolonged one, and the deceased was at the receiving end for only stopping the convict, who had punched a
female. 

The judge stressed that cases of murder with direct intent have reached an alarming proportion in society, whereby violence has become the order of the day. 

“Courts fulfill an important function in maintaining law and order in society. In cases involving violence, like the present one, the court’s role would be to demonstrate its object in upholding the human rights the constitution guarantees for everyone. 

The seriousness of the crime of murder is seen from the indignation with which this crime is held in the eyes of society. Imposing sentences that are too lenient may prompt members of society to take the law into their own hands, which will result in lawlessness”, he stated.

 He added that it is disquieting to see in many of the cases involving violence which come before court how easily individuals resort to the use of lethal weapons in circumstances where such conduct is unjustified. 

“Most of these incidents happen at shebeens, and often start with a simple argument over a trivial issue such as a dollar in the gambling machine or failure to reply to a greeting,” the judge observed. 

He went on to say that all in all, it demonstrates how little tranquility and order prevail at the majority of shebeens in society, a disturbing trend that has led to the loss of many lives.         

– rrouth@nepc.com.na