A former Brave Warriors chiropractor, who was later charged with murder as well as poaching, has died in custody. 

The 56-year-old Gerson Kandjii died from Covid-19 complications in the Gobabis police holding cells, his lawyer Milton Engelbrecht confirmed yesterday. 

Kandjii was being held in custody with two others suspected of killing two adult white rhinos on the farm Khainas near Gobabis in December 2016. They have also been accused of wounding two more rhinos. 

He was arrested on 29 December 2016 together with his two accomplices, Justice Mona Domingo and Erwin Tjiteere. 

In 2015, Kandjii and co-accused were granted bail on murder charges and robbery with aggravating circumstances after it was suspected they murdered German-born farmer Reinhard Schmidt on his farm near Kalkrand in the Hardap region. 

 Police at the time said Schmidt is believed to have been suffocated after his attackers had tied him up and taped his mouth and nose.  Kandjii was charged alongside Domingo and Tjiteere with murder and housebreaking and robbery with aggravating circumstances. 

They also faced charges of possession of 46 rifle bullets without a licence. Kandjii also faced several charges over the poaching of critically endangered black rhinos in the Etosha National Park since October 2014. He was released after posting bail of N$20 000. 

In the Outapi docket, he was charged along with Daniel Nghidinua, his nephew Stephanus Dawid and Martin Andami Kaninga for the illegal hunting of a protected species, as well as the illegal possession of a rifle and ammunition.

–rrouth@nepc.com.na