The trial of two men who are suspected of raping and killing a schoolgirl and dumping her body in the bushes in Windhoek is set to resume in the Windhoek High Court in June.
The trial came to a standstill when one of the accused, Fransiscus Dimitri Narimab (32) filed an application to have the charges thrown out. However, his successful application before High Court Judge Boas Usiku was overturned by the Supreme Court last year, which found that there was enough evidence against Narimab to prosecute him.
Narimab appeared last week in court alongside co-accused Ruben Fritz (24). The court scheduled their trial to resume on 29 June and will run till 3 July.
The prosecution is charging Narimab and his co-accused Fritz with murder, rape, robbery with aggravating circumstances and defeating or obstructing the course of justice.
The State alleges the two accused took turns to rape 18-year-old Alwina Uri-Khos during the period March in 2013, while the other held her down after taking her to a bushy area between Shandumbala and the Western Bypass tar road in Windhoek.
It is further alleged that both accused killed the deceased by hitting her with stones on her head and she died at the scene of severe head injuries due to blunt force impact trauma. The accused then allegedly robbed Uri-Khos of her cellphone, SIM card, one pair of shoes and trousers.
It is alleged that they destroyed the SIM card and sold the cellular phone and instructed the mother of Fritz to give false information to the police. It is further alleged they disposed of the shoes and trousers of the deceased in a way unknown to the police.
Defence lawyers Mpule Siyomunji and Hassan Engelbrecht will appear for the accused while state advocate Ethel Ndlovu will prosecute.
– mamakali@nepc.com.na