Windhoek
A South African national, accused of the rape and murder of a 56-year-old Namibian woman in Windhoek two years ago, was informed his matter was remanded to the High Court when he returned to court yesterday.
Wilhelm Wimpie Derick Februarie, 36, was informed by Magistrate Celma Amadhila that his case will be transferred to the Namibian High Court from the magistrate’s court.
He has to be in the High Court on May 12 at 09h00.
Last year Magistrate Jermaine Muchali refused to grant the State a further postponement of Februarie’s case and the matter was withdrawn.
Februarie’s joy was short-lived though as this year he was re-summoned.
At the end of January, Februarie appeared in court again in connection with the death of the 56-year-old woman in Windhoek in June 2014, after the prosecutor general last December instructed that he should be rearrested on the same charges, which had been withdrawn against him at the end of September last year.
He is charged with counts of rape and murder. The State alleges he raped and murdered Windhoek resident, Dinah Diedericks, at her home in Windhoek West on the evening of June 21 2014. He was arrested and charged a day after Diedericks had been found dead at her home.
During a bail hearing in September 2014, Februarie testified he had been in the company of Diedericks on the evening of her death and might have been the last known person to have seen her alive.
He informed the court he left her at her house and returned to his home in Katutura. He was at home when she was killed and raped, he said.
A police officer told the court during the bail hearing that Diedericks was killed by strangulation. He also testified that according to witnesses interviewed by the police, Februarie was the last person seen with Diedericks, while telephone records indicated that Februarie was in the vicinity of Windhoek West from about 20h00 to 23h00 on the evening that Diedericks was killed.
Februarie remains in custody. Amize Adams represented the State. Jorge Neves represented Februarie.