The sister of multiple rapes accused Gavin Gawanab testified on Friday in the Windhoek High Court at the Windhoek Correctional Facility
that she saw him coming out of the room, moments before she found their niece crying and bleeding from her privates.
According to the woman who may not be identified to protect the identity of the victim, she and her sisters including the mother of
the victim were at the residence of their mother on 26 September 2015.
She further said on the same day, her and sisters went to her house in Dollam where they had been enjoying themselves after which
they went to her sister’s house in Havana. They had their 12-year old niece with them, she said. According to her, they later decided to go and
enjoy further and the mother of the victim wanted to take the child home.
However, the child did not want to leave and said she wanted to stay at her aunt’s place. She further informed the court that, Gawanab
who was sitting near them told the child’s mother “Ousie you heard what the child said, let her be.” They then put the child in her
sister’s room and went back to Dollam, the witness narrated. On their return, they saw Gawanab coming out of the room where
they had left the minor and he was bare-chested and without shoes, the witness recounted and continued that when they went into the room,
they found the little girl naked from the waist down and bleeding from her genitals. When they enquired from her what happened, the
girl just sobbed and mumbling that “it was uncle Gavin…it was uncle Gavin.” Mbanga Siyomunji who is representing Gawanab on
instructions of Legal Aid told the witness that his client denies being at the house in question that evening and that he raped the girl.
He further questioned the witness about her sobriety that evening, suggesting that she was drunk and could not be sure of
what she saw. The witness, however, insisted that although she had been drinking she was not drunk and was aware of what was happening
around her. Siyomunji also accused the witness of having a vendetta against the accused and she was blatantly lying to punish him.
Gawanab is facing 23 counts including rape of minors, attempted murder, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, assault,
attempted rape, alternatively indecent assault, kidnapping, housebreaking with intent to rape and rape as well as crimen injuria.
He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
-rrouth@nepc.com.na