2017-09-19Staff Report 2 Roland Routh Windhoek-After he failed to make a scheduled court appearance in the High Court before Judge Nate Ndauendapo, a warrant of arrest was issued yesterday for a man from Karasburg in southern Namibia, who allegedly had his victim washed and dressed before putting her in their bed after she died as a result of the beating he had subjected her to. August van Wyk, 50, was supposed to plead on charges of murder, defeating or obstructing or attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH) and assault common yesterday. His state-funded lawyer, Milton van Wyk, yesterday informed the court he was still in contact with Van Wyk on Sunday afternoon and that they had agreed to meet at his office in the central business district at 08h30 yesterday morning, but the accused was a no-show. Judge Ndauendapo then issued the warrant of arrest with immediate effect and postponed the matter to today for Van Wyk to be apprehended and brought before court to explain why his bail should not be cancelled and he remanded in custody until the finalisation of his trial. According to the State, Van Wyk killed his live-in partner, Katrina Waterboer, in a brutal manner at Westerkim, a township in Karasburg during the period August 29 to 30, 2014. The charge sheet notes that Van Wyk, Katrina Waterboer and her mother, Josephine Fredericks, were at a shebeen in Westerkim on the day in question. On their way home Fredericks, the complainant in the assault charge, suggested that Van Wyk and the deceased overnight at her place. Van Wyk then allegedly slapped Fredericks in the face and “expressed his anger with Fredericks, who according to him, is making decisions on behalf of the deceased”. During the late night hours of Friday, August 29, 2014 or the early morning hours of Saturday, August 30, 2014 in Westerkim the accused became angry with the deceased and asked her why her mother was interfering in their relationship, the indictment reads. It goes on to say the accused then started to assault the Katrina Waterboer by hitting her with unknown objects and/or kicking her and/or dragging her body on the ground. The woman died as a result of multiple injuries, subdural bleeding and a brain concussion. He then allegedly removed or instructed other people to remove the clothes the deceased woman was wearing and dress her in different clothes. He also removed his own clothes and dressed in different clothes, before hiding his clothes and the clothes of the deceased - which had blood on it - by wrapping it in a mattress. He allegedly also washed or cleaned the body of the deceased and placed the deceased woman’s body in bed in his residence. The charge sheet further states that Van Wyk did this to frustrate or interfere with police investigations into the death of the deceased woman, to conceal and/or destroy and/or remove evidence of an assault perpetrated on the deceased so as to protect himself from prosecution. Van Wyk also faces a charge of assault GBH for allegedly beating the deceased on a prior occasion. It is alleged that on February 1, 2014 the deceased was on her way to church when Van Wyk called her and started to beat her with stones and other objects. When she fell down he reportedly sat on top of her and continued his assault until he was removed by a bystander. 2017-09-19Staff Report 2
