One of the victims of alleged serial rapist Gavin Gawanab was pregnant at the time of the alleged rape. 

This was derived from the medical reports presented by Dr Kineh Sogur, a medical practitioner stationed at the Katutura state hospital. 

The reports were read and formed part of the evidence handed in by the prosecution during the ongoing trial of the 22-year-old Gawanab in the High Court before Judge Dinnah Usiku. Sogur said, upon carrying out a medical examination on the alleged rape victim, she discovered the victim was three months pregnant. 

She further testified the 35-year-old victim was assaulted, as there were visible bruises on her eyes and a 2.5cm cut on her forehead. The victim’s clothes also had stains and blood on them. 

Sogur also presented a medical report of a seven-year-old victim. 

She said, although she was informed of her having been raped, no abnormalities were observed. 

 “Although there were no abnormalities and no evidence of sexual penetrative activity, it does not necessarily exclude rape,” explained Sogur. 

Although the victim testified to having been strangled, Sogur said she did not observe any markings indicating such allegation. 

The doctor indicated the markings could have faded, since she examined the victim more than five hours from the time she was allegedly assaulted.

Gawanab is currently on trial on 23 charges, including three counts of rape, three counts of attempted rape, four charges of attempted murder and several counts of assault and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

He is accused of attempted murder after strangling the minor girl with intent to murder her, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and a further count of rape of the same victim. 

All of this is said to have happened on 26 October 2018 near Farm Satansloch in the Windhoek area. 

After allegedly violating the little girl, he went into hiding in the mountains surrounding Windhoek, causing a massive manhunt for him. 

He was on bail for a number of offences at the time of the attack on the minor girl. 

It is further alleged he assaulted another girl near the same farm on 29 September 2018. 

He allegedly grabbed her by her waist and dragged her, causing injuries. 

He also allegedly assaulted another young girl by stabbing her with an arrow and hitting her with his fist on 29 April 2017 in the Havana area of Windhoek before he proceeded to rape her and robbed her of money. 

On the same day, the indictment read, Gawanab assaulted another young woman in the same area by stabbing her with an arrow. 

He is further facing another count of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after stabbing another young woman on 2 September 2016 in Havana.

On the same day, he also allegedly threatened to stab another girl at the same location. He forced another woman into a room and made her remove all her clothes under duress, and attempted to rape her. 

He did not succeed.

Gawanab is facing further counts of attempted murder, housebreaking with intent to rape and rape read with the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act for raping another under-aged girl in the same location on 26 September 2015. 

He also faces charges of assault by threat and crimen injuria for an incident that happened on 14 May 2013 at Farm Oas in the Windhoek district, where he swore at two complainants and threatened to stab them with a knife. 

It is further alleged that on 22 December 2012, near Daan Viljoen in the Windhoek district, Gawanab attempted to rape another minor girl and tried to murder her by strangulation.

He has since denied all allegations.

Gawanab is being represented by Mbanga Siyomunji, with Innocencia Nyoni acting for the State. 

- mamakali@nepc.com.na