WINDHOEK – The trial of a Yemeni national, who is accused of assassinating Malian Gamby Baya in 2016, is expected to start in the Windhoek Regional Court this morning.
Murad Esmail Ali Al-Hersh, 40, will be tried on a count of murder, robbery and defeating or obstructing the course of justice.
All charges emanate from the shooting on the night of 31 July to 1 August 2016, which resulted in the death of Baya.
The 40-year-old was scheduled to be tried in May, however, he refused to be brought to court for the start of his long-awaited trial.
At the time, state prosecutor Sirka Nangoro informed the court that the state was not furnished with the reasons why Al-Hersh refused to be brought to court.
Al-Hersh has been detained in police custody at the Windhoek Central Correctional Facility since his arrest in August 2016.
He has been under the watchful eye of the Namibian Reserve Force after allegations that he attempted to flee from lawful custody in September 2018.
The prosecution is alleging that Al-Hersh intentionally killed Baya by shooting him in the head during the night of 31 July to 1 August 2016.
Baya’s lifeless body was discovered by a passer-by at a dumpsite in Kleine Kuppe suburb, Windhoek on 1 August 2016. It is suspected that Al-Hersh put a bullet between Baya’s eyes while he was seated in his green Hyundai Elantra 2014 model in an open space in Kleine Kuppe.
It is alleged that Al-Hersh executed the Malian national because he had failed to account for money. It is believed that the pair had an agreement in which Baya was meant to convert US$500 000 (N$ 7.4 million) into Namibia Dollar but he later failed to account for US$150 000 (N$ 2.2 million) which led Al-Hersh to putting a bullet to his head.
The prosecution is charging that the charge of obstructing the course of justice emanates from the fact that Al-Hersh disposed of Baya’s corpse at the dumpsite and dumped his car in Windhoek suburb Olympia.
Al-Hersh denied the allegations when he took a no guilty plea when he took his preliminary plea on 15 August 2017.
Defence attorney Sisa Namandje is appearing for Al-Hersh.