Nuusita Ashipala
OSHAKATI – Paulus Nghipulenga, who stands accused of killing his girlfriend who was a student at the Unam Hifikepunye Campus, pleaded guilty when he appeared in the Oshakati Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Nghipulenga told the court that he and the deceased Helao Gideon Hamuteta had wrestled over text messages he had received from an ex-girlfriend on the fateful night of February 17 this year.
“The deceased threw my phone on the floor and it could not be switched on,” Nghipulenga told the court.
He is charged with murder read with the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act. Nghipulenga’s case was remanded to July 29 to allow the accused to apply for legal aid. Nghipulenga told the court he stabbed the deceased about four times in the chest.
Although he had initially indicated he was going to conduct his own defence, he changed his version after cross-examination by the court after he had pleaded guilty. Nghipulenga is remanded in custody after he was denied bail in February when he made his first court appearance. Hamuteta, a third-year student at the time, died as a result of several stab wounds.
She was allegedly stabbed at her home behind the Unam Hifikepunye Campus. According to police reports at the time, Nghipulenga allegedly attempted to commit suicide by hanging himself with shoelaces, but they snapped. After the suicide attempt, he handed himself over to the police officers stationed at the Oshiko roadblock in Ongwediva. It is further alleged that the accused had threatened the deceased via text messages that he would kill her. He had travelled from Windhoek a few days before the incident and the two temporarily stayed together in the house where the deceased lived. Nelao Ya France represented the state, while Toini Shilongo was on the bench.