WINDHOEK - The prosecutor general has again sent back to the drawing board the investigating officer in the case of a 55-year-old man who stands accused of stabbing his girlfriend to death. Benjamin Strong, 55, faces a charge of murder read with the Provisions of the Domestic Violence Act for the gruesome death of his lover Johanna Resandt. Resandt died on September 17, 2017 after she was stabbed 12 times all over her body.
Strong’s case was on the court roll last week for the prosecutor general’s decision. However, such was not ready, according to the prosecutor Pieter Smit.
According to Smit, the docket was sent back by the prosecutor general with more instructions that the investigating officer needed to comply with before a decision can be made whether to prosecute or not..
It is the second time the prosecutor general has sent back the docket to the investigating officer with further instructions.
In March the prosecutor general referred the docket back to the investigating officer with 23 more instructions to be complied with.
At the time the prosecutor Muriel van Zyl said that of the 23 instructions only 10 had been complied with.
Strong has been in custody since his arrest in September 2017 for Resandt’s death. The prosecution alleges he intentionally killed Resandt when he inflicted multiple stab wounds on her on the date in question.
A witness who was together with Strong and Resandt on the night of the incident revealed during his testimony that he saw Strong stabbing Resandt with a knife. He testified that prior to the incident they were all out drinking. Allegedly after their return, Strong and Resandt got into a heated argument, which consequently resulted in strong stabbing Resandt 12 times with a knife.
According to the witness, in an attempt to intervene, Strong allegedly stabbed him too. The witness further indicated that he became unconscious after Strong pushed him and could not recall what happened after the stabbing.
Strong had denied guilt stating that he found his girlfriend dead upon his return home in the morning. He also denied being a violent partner during his relationship with Resandt.
Strong is expected to return to court on January 18, 2019 after Magistrate Namwenyo Shikalepo postponed the case for the prosecutor general’s decision.