2017-03-30Staff Report 2 Maria Amakali Windhoek-The trial date is set for the man who bathed and clothed his live-in girlfriend after he allegedly murdered her. Fifty-one-year-old August van Wyk will stand trial in the Windhoek High Court on September 19 for fatally assaulting his live-in girlfriend Katrina Waterboer in 2014. Van Wyk is charged with one count of murder read with provisions of the Combating Domestic Violence Act 4 of 2003, obstruction of justice, assault with intent to do bodily harm and one count of assault. During his bail application it was revealed that Van Wyk on the night of August 29, 2014 assaulted Waterboer by kicking and hitting her with an unknown object on the head at their shared home in Westerkim in Karaburg. While assaulting the deceased he further dragged her body on the ground. As a result of the grievous assault, Waterboer suffered multiple injuries, subdural bleeding and a brain concussion and was later pronounced dead. According to the charge sheet, after realising that he had killed his girlfriend, Van Wyk decided to clean up her corpse and proceeded to remove the clothes that the deceased was wearing at the time of her death. He then bathed and dressed the corpse in clean clothes. He hid his and the deceased’s bloodied clothes in a mattress in an attempt to hide evidence. After this bizarre act, Van Wyk laid his girlfriend’s corpse on the bed. The two had allegedly been arguing when Van Wyk accused Waterboer’s mother of meddling in their romantic relationship. Based on the charge sheet, the two seemed to have been in an abusive relationship, as it was not the first time the accused had laid his hands on Waterboer. The accused had assaulted Waterboer on two separate occasions. On February 1, 2014 he left the deceased all bruised up after attacking her with stones while on her way home from church. On a second occasion, while they were coming from a local shebeen, he assaulted her for allegedly trying to control his life. Following presentations by his defence lawyer Milton Engelbrecht, Van Wyk’s bail was extended till the start of his trial on September 19. 2017-03-30Staff Report 2
