Maria Amakali
A 38-year-old teacher who is accused of killing his wife by stabbing her numerous times and slitting her abdomen has denied guilt.
Patrick Geingob took a no guilty plea to the charge of murder read with the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act before magistrate Johannes Shuuveni in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Having tendered his preliminary plea, Geingob was informed the State will summarise his docket and forward it to the prosecutor general for a decision on whether to prosecute him or not. The court postponed the matter to 5 March 2021 for the prosecutor general’s decision.
Geingob, who is currently in police custody, was arrested after he surrendered himself to the police in April last year.
He is charged for the death of his wife and mother of his children, Merentha Geingos, who died on 12 April 2019.
It is alleged Geingob arrived home late that night and had an argument with Geingos, which resulted in him stabbing her. The incident occurred at the couple’s home in Okuryangava.
In a post-mortem report that was handed in as part of the evidence in Geingob’s failed bail application, it is recorded that Geingos was stabbed 12 times.
Two of the injuries she sustained, one stab wound to the abdomen and a deep stab wound to her right thigh, were potentially fatal, the report states.
During his bail hearing, investigating officer Warrant Esther Shuudikilwa testified that according to witness statements she obtained from their two children, Geingob returned home and started knocking at the door aggressively.
After Geingos opened the door for him, he allegedly went straight to the kitchen, while Geingos went to their bedroom. Geingob could be heard by the children going through kitchen cupboards in search of something.Geingob followed his wife to their bedroom where she was heard screaming, telling him to stop.
Their four-year-old son also started screaming, telling Geingob to stop stabbing their mother. Geingob’s 11-year-old stepdaughter too tried to stop him but to no avail.Geingos allegedly tried to escape by running to the children’s room but Geingob followed her and continued with the stabbing.
One of the children ran to the neighbours for help and when they returned, Geingob was still on top of his wife busy stabbing her.
According to Geingob’s testimony, he recalls getting home that night and having an argument with the deceased. He however does not have a recollection of what happened after.
He recalls walking to his friend’s house and later handing himself over to the police.
Geingob is represented by defence lawyer Henrico von Wiellgh, while Victoria Likuis is prosecuting for the State.
-mamakali@nepc.com.na