Windhoek
The murder and rape trial of Walvis Bay resident, Piet Kondjele Nakanene, is set to start on February 13 next year after Judge Dinah Usiku and the State agreed with legal aid lawyer Martin Dube on trial dates in the Windhoek High Court at the Windhoek Correctional Services facility on Friday.
Nakanene faces a number of charges ranging from housebreaking and rape to murder, dating back to 2006 when he first broke into the room of a niece of his and tried to rape her.
Nakanene also faces two charges of housebreaking with intent to rape, three counts of rape, two counts of attempted rape, two counts of attempted murder, one count of murder and one count of defeating or obstructing the course of justice.
On the first count of attempted rape it is alleged by the State that Nakanene kicked open the door to his niece’s room and attempted to rape her in Kuisebmond on September 3, 2006. According to the indictment, Nakanene and the victim were socialising, but after they went to their separate rooms in the same yard, Nakanene returned and forcefully tried to rape the complainant, who cannot be identified.
It is further alleged he used the same method when he managed to rape another woman, who may also not be identified on April 6, 2013. It is alleged by the State that Nakanene again after socialising with the complainant and other people escorted the complainant to her room in the same yard where he lived.
During the early morning hours of Saturday, April 6, 2013 he allegedly again kicked open the victim’s door and violated her. He also faces a charge of attempted murder for allegedly strangling the victim and causing her to lose consciousness during the rape.
The second count of attempted rape relates to an incident on October 15, 2013 when Nakanene allegedly followed his victim, who was on her way home on foot using the route she normally takes, which passes nearby the premises where the accused resided in Kuisebmond.
Nakanene reportedly pushed the victim to the ground when he caught up with her and attempted to rape her. He also faces a count of attempted murder for strangling the victim with his hands.
The State further alleges he killed Benedine Letesia Baumgartner after he raped her in his room in Kuisebmond between March 12 and 13, 2014. He allegedly strangled her with his bare hands and she died in his room, due to asphyxia.
He is facing the charge of defeating the course of justice for allegedly removing the dead body of deceased from his room and dumping it in the dunes, a distance away from his house and cleaning the yard of the house with a rake, as well as destroying (or in another unknown way disposing of) a pair of shoes he was wearing during the period March 12 to 13, 2014.
During his first court appearance in Walvis Bay Magistrate’s Court it was revealed that Nakanene was released from custody on another rape charge just two weeks prior to the murder of Baumgartner.