WINDHOEK – Nearly 11 years after the gruesome murder of Okahandja resident Marshall de Klerk, five men are expected to stand trial for his death in Windhoek Regional Court tomorrow.

The group is expected to take the stand before Magistrate Alexis Diergaardt for the start of their trial. The accused are Fillupus Ai-Aiseb, 25, Seth Awaseb 28, Hartley Nanub 32, Gideon Naobeb 32, and Collin Naraseb 26.

The accused persons are charged with murder and assault to do grievous bodily harm. 
Ai-Aiseb and his four co-accused were arrested in April 2008 and made their first appearance in court the same year, where they were denied bail due to the seriousness of the offence and the public outcry. They were remanded in custody to avoid the definite threat of retaliation by family members of the victim. 

The substantial facts contained in the charge sheet state that the accused youths did “unlawfully and intentionally kill De Klerk near Lucas Shebeen in Okahandja by cutting him with a panga and spears and stabbing him with knives all over his body, causing his death.” 

De Klerk died from excessive bleeding due to the cuts and slashes on his body. His body was discovered with multiple stab wounds and slashes.

Some of the five suspects who were mere teenagers at the time when the alleged gruesome murder was committed were later released on bail and into the care of their legal guardians.
The group’s case was transferred to Windhoek from Okahandja more than six years ago.
During their preliminary pleas, the group denied having had a hand in De Klerk’s death when they took a no guilty plea to the charges.