WALVIS BAY – David Thomas, 46, a resident of Kuisebmond on Monday pleaded not guilty to killing his eight-year-old son over the weekend.
Thomas on Monday made the plea during his first court appearance in Walvis Bay.
“I did not kill my son. I took the pistol and cocked it as I wanted to put it in the safe. It accidentally went off,” Thomas said during his first appearance on a charge of murder on Monday.
He appeared before Magistrate Vicky Nicolaidis while public prosecutor, Ivan Vicky Tjizu, represented the State.
Thomas was informed that he could apply for legal aid or obtain a lawyer of his own choice.
Public prosecutor Tjizu opposed bail stating that the investigation is incomplete as several statements of witnesses are still outstanding.
“The State is opposing bail at this stage as the matter is of a very serious nature and requests that the case be postponed until 5 November. Several statements also need to be obtained from the family of the accused and the State fears the accused might interfere with the investigation,” Tjizu explained.
The case was remanded to November 5 for further investigation and to enable the suspect to apply for legal representation due to the gravity of the case.
According to the Namibian Police at Walvis Bay, Thomas allegedly accidently shot and killed his son who was fast asleep in the family home where a party was in full swing.
Police said the fatal shooting occurred early Saturday morning at the family’s residence at No. 2440/14 in John Moyo Street, Kuisebmond.
The acting crime investigations coordinator for the Erongo Region, Festus Iikuyu, confirmed the tragic incident during the weekend media crime briefing.
The Namibian Police (Nampol) acting crime investigations coordinator in Erongo, Inspector Iikuyu, said Thomas was seen with the weapon in his hand while drinking in a room close to the one in which the boy was sleeping.
He told New Era the suspect allegedly decided to put the gun away in a safe believed to be in the room where the child was sleeping. “It is believed that he entered the room in which the boy was sleeping with the intention to lock the gun away in the safe. However, a shot was accidentally fired and the boy was hit in the chest. The bullet went straight through him killing him instantly. How he handled the gun and whether it had a safety catch on is still unknown to the police,” he said.
Iikyu also confirmed that the suspect was drunk when the incident occurred. The suspect could allegedly not even recall the shooting the next day during questioning by the police.
By Eveline de Klerk