WINDHOEK - Windhoek High Court Judge Dinnah Usiku last Friday sentenced Gobabis resident, Jacob Hoxobeb, 32, whom she convicted of murder with direct intent to an effective 34 years behind bars for the killing of his girlfriend and mother of his three children by stabbing her at least 16 times.
Hoxobeb was sentenced in the High Court situated at the Windhoek Correctional Facility for the brutal frenzied knife attack that was shocking in its scale of brutality and savagery.
Hoxobeb admitted in open court that he killed Anastancia Goagoses on December 05, 2016 with a knife in Gobabis because he suspected her of having an affair with a taxi driver, and he was also convicted of assault by threat for threatening to chop her with an axe.
According to the judge, Hoxobeb had no other option than to plead guilty as he was seen by two eyewitnesses and in any event, he could have still been found guilty even if he had pleaded not guilty.
She further said that the manner in which the murder was committed was to be taken into account. “The deceased was stabbed at least 16 times,” Judge Usiku said and continued: “It was disturbing when it was submitted by the defence that only two stab wounds were fatal making it sound as if the other wounds were not significant. That is totally unacceptable.”
According to the judge, the post-mortem report suggested a lot of force was applied. She further said that it was aggravating that after the accused was calmed down, he went for a second time, armed with a knife and stabbed the deceased indiscriminately. “Accused’s persistence in following the deceased clearly shows that he did not want to leave her alive,” the judge emphasized. She went on to say the only reason for the stabbing was that the deceased moved out of their common home the previous evening with the assistance of the police and the accused became jealous and suspected the deceased of having an affair with another man. “It is high time that women must enjoy equal rights as their male counterparts in deciding whom they want to be associated with at any given time,” stresed Judge Usiku.
She went on to say the accused must therefore know that to every action, there are always repercussions and that he created the consequences which he alone must now embrace. “Our society is up in arms against the escalation of domestic violence,” the judge said and continued: “Therefore deterrence as an object of punishment in necessary in this particular case and would-be offenders.” She said this was a premeditated crime which has affected the society at large.
According to the judge, the interest of society outweighs the personal circumstances of the accused by far which calls for a severe punishment. She however said that what counted in the accused’s favour is the fact that he is a first offender, who has been in custody since his arrest.
Furthermore, she said, it is common cause that he tendered a plea of guilty as a token of his remorse and had apologized to a member of the deceased’s family. But, she said, with regard to the guilty plea as an indication of remorse it must be considered in the circumstances of the case as there might be overwhelming evidence against the accused which left him with no other option than to tender a plea of guilty. The judge further sentenced Hoxobeb to two years on the conviction of assault by threat, ordered to run concurrently with the 34 years on the murder count.