Windhoek
The guilty plea of a man who admitted he struck his mother with an axe on the head, but denied his intention to kill her, was yesterday refused by the Windhoek High Court.
According to Otjimbingwe resident, Siegfried Uirab, who is on trial for the killing of his biological mother with an axe at the latter’s residence in Otjimbingwe, he cannot be held responsible for the crime as he was mentally unstable at the time of the fatal hacking.
While he at first pleaded not guilty when State Advocate Calistas Shikerete read the charges to him, he informed the court he was possessed by evil spirits.
This prompted Judge Christi Liebenberg to stand the matter down for a few minutes to allow Uirab’s state-funded defence counsel, Titus Ipumbu, to consult with his client. After the restart Ipumbu told the court his client wished to plead guilty to murder without direct intent as he was “overcome with spirits” when he killed the victim. The judge however did not accept the plea and entered one of not guilty.
The State alleges that Uirab killed Erika Uiras by hitting her at least four times with an axe on her head on November 21, 2013 at Otjimbingwe in the Karibib district, causing her to die two days later on November 23, 2013 in the Katutura hospital in Windhoek.
The accused further denied any involvement in the other charges he faces.
In addition to the murder, he is accused of attempted murder for allegedly hitting his sister Lena Uiras at least once on the head and that he threatened to assault another family member, Lizette Uiras, with the same axe.
According to the charge sheet, the accused and the deceased shared a residence and he provided financially for her and the other complainants.
During the afternoon of the incident, the accused threatened to kill Lizette Uiras and other family members if they did not vacate the deceased’s residence, which they did, but later returned, the indictment states.
During that evening and while the deceased was with her family at home, the accused arrived and had a short conversation with his mother whereafter he hit the deceased at least four times on the head with the axe, the indictment further reads. After assaulting his mother, Uirab then turned on Lena Uiras and hit her once on the head and also chased Lizette Uiras with the axe in his hand, threatening to kill her.
The deceased died because of head injuries caused by the assault.
Defence counsel Ipumbu already informed the court during a pre-trial hearing that his client cannot be held responsible for his actions, as he underwent psychiatric observation just two weeks before the incident.
Ipumbu said that Uirab was diagnosed with substance abuse induced psychosis.
He also mentioned in his pre-trial answers that Uirab admitted committing the crimes, but that he cannot be held responsible because of his mental condition.
The trial continues and Uirab remains in custody.