A 17-year-old teenager from Rehoboth, who admitted he stoned a 57-year-old woman to death, has been convicted in the Windhoek High Court by Judge Dinnah Usiku last week.
The young man was also convicted on charges of rape, robbery and arson.
The teenager, who may not be named due to his age, was 14 when he committed the offences.
He was facing one count of murder, one count of rape, one count of robbery with aggravating circumstances, violating of a dead body, housebreaking with intent to steal and theft and two counts of arson and alternatively malicious damage to property.
The accused admitted he took a bag of groceries from the victim after she died and further admitted he stole items from a shack before he set it on fire.
He had, however, denied setting alight a second shack and raping the victim.
With regards to this offence, the judge said semen was found in the panty of the victim, which proved that sexual intercourse did occur.
With regards to the robbery charge, she said the accused admitted he took the items, but that only theft was proved.
Similarly, she said, with regards to the offence of housebreaking, it was only proved he stole items from the shack and set it alight.
The judge rejected his claim that he could not have foreseen a second shack about 10 metres from the first one would also burn because of the fire from the shack he had initially set alight.
In the end, the judge convicted the teenager on a charge of murder on his own admission, a count of rape, two counts of theft, one count of violating a dead body and two counts of arson.
In a plea explanation handed to the court, the youngster claimed he is only guilty of theft, as he did not rob the victim, Sarah Jagger, between 24-25 September 2018 near Bahnhoff Station in the Rehoboth district, but merely stole the bag she had with her and the items inside.
He also admitted he cut off or amputated the foot of the victim, put it in a plastic bag and threw it on a gravel road.
He also proceeded to stab or cut the body of the victim with a knife or other sharp object.
The teenager will return to court on 19 April when a social worker will address the court.
He is represented by legal aid lawyer Linus Samaria and the State by Anita Meyer.
He remains in custody.
– rrouth@nepc.com.na