Windhoek
A Rehoboth resident on trial for the fatal stabbing of a shebeen owner last year was found guilty in the High Court on Thursday.
Bryan Rickerts, 37, was found guilty by Judge Christie Liebenberg of stabbing Shaun Roderick Beukes to death with a knife at Tina Lager shebeen in Rehoboth’s Block E residential area on February 7, 2014.
“This was a barbaric attack on the deceased person. Killing someone is a very serious offence and in my opinion, the prosecution team has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt that you (Bryan Rickerts) caused the death of an innocent man,” Liebenberg said on Thursday.
Rickerts was found not guilty and acquitted on a second count of obstructing the course of justice for allegedly hiding behind a corrugated iron shack two knives he had used in the murder, and having threatened to kill Helga Helen van Wyk and other State witnesses, Albertus Josef Sneiders and Brenda van Wyk.
He pleaded not guilty to all three counts at the start of the trial earlier this year. According to the indictment Rickerts arrived at the shebeen, where the deceased was taking an afternoon nap, armed with two knives, looking for “strong people to stab.”
It is further alleged Rickerts then proceeded to sharpen both knives. When the deceased woke up, Rickerts remarked that the deceased is also one of those strong men and proceeded to stab the deceased once in the chest, causing death due to an injury to the heart.
Rickerts then ran away and hid the knives behind a corrugated iron shack, with the purpose of defeating or obstructing the course of justice, the indictment further reads. While on bail for the murder, it was further alleged, Rickerts on various occasions threatened State witnesses and caused them to believe he would kill them to prevent them from testifying in his murder trial.
The last incident of intimidation happened on January 10, 2015 and the threats were reported to the police. Rickerts was subsequently arrested and remains in custody.
Rickerts appeared in court on Thursday with a protective mask over his mouth and nose in efforts to minimise the spread of TB (tuberculosis) to other people. He has been diagnosed with and is receiving treatment for TB at Katutura State Hospital.
– Additional reporting: Nampa