A man serving 30 years imprisonment for raping a pregnant woman and a minor in Swakopmund is appealing his sentence.
Making an appearance on Monday before Windhoek High Court judge Dinnah Usiku, rape convict Brendan van Wyk (38) asked the court for more time to acquire legal representation.
The court wanted to strike van Wyk’s case from the court’s roll after he appeared once again without a lawyer.
“I am reluctant to keep your case on the roll when you still don’t have your house in order,” said Usiku.
He then postponed the matter to 6 June but informed van Wyk that if on that date he does not have a lawyer, then he must be prepared to argue his case.
She advised van Wyk to expand on his explanation of why he waited four years and four months to lodge an appeal.
Van Wyk was convicted in 2019 on three counts of rape but acquitted on a fourth rape count and a count of attempting to obstruct or defeat the course of justice.
It is alleged that he raped a 14-year-old girl at Swakopmund on 1 April 2016 and a pregnant woman at the coastal town four days later.
The court sentenced him to 15 years on each rape conviction but ordered that the sentence on the third conviction run concurrently with the sentence on the second conviction.
During the trial, the prosecution informed the court that van Wyk has a record of 13 previous criminal convictions starting in 2003, involving charges ranging from theft and possession of stolen property to assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, housebreaking and robbery.
The prosecution is represented by Palmer Kumalo in the matter.
-mamakali@nepc.com.na