Hit-and-run case begins
Kambata pleads not guilty
Paulus Kambata faces six charges, including reckless driving and defeating or obstructing the course of justice.
A man facing a charge of culpable homicide appeared in the Katutura Magistrate's Court this week.
Paulus Kambata pleaded not guilty in connection with a fatal hit-and-run accident about three years ago on Windhoek’s Western Bypass which killed cyclist Ingrid van Wyk Scholtz (38).
Kambata's trial began on Wednesday, with the first state witnesses taking to the stand.
The State claims that Kambata passed another vehicle on the left with his Mercedes Benz and that he hit Scholtz from behind on her bicycle. He apparently sped off afterwards.
During his bail application, Kambata claimed that Scholtz swerved in front of him.
The accident occurred on 15 November 2019 at the four-way turn-off to the University of Namibia (Unam).
Kambata is facing six charges - culpable homicide, reckless driving, failure to stop at the scene of an accident, failure to render aid to an injured person at the scene of an accident, failure to report an accident and defeating or obstructing the course of justice. He pled not guilty to all the charges.
Kambata was released on 11 December 2019 on bail of N$8 000.
Delays
Although Kambata was already arrested and charged on 18 November 2019, the trial only started this week.
The Covid-19 pandemic and associated restrictions initially hampered the investigation and later issues arose in connection with the police file.
First it went missing; later it was located again, but it was incomplete.
The state prosecutor at the time, Bernadine Bertolini, argued that the few outstanding documents - including the police's forensic report - did not sufficiently weigh against the seriousness of the complaint and the public interest in the outcomes of the court case, and that the case should therefore continue.
Bertolini said there was sufficient evidence to prosecute Kambata.
Scholtz was a city planner and partner at Stubenrauch Planning Consultants for many years. She was also an avid cyclist who took on the Desert Dash ultra-race from Windhoek to Swakopmund as a solo rider.
Paulus Kambata pleaded not guilty in connection with a fatal hit-and-run accident about three years ago on Windhoek’s Western Bypass which killed cyclist Ingrid van Wyk Scholtz (38).
Kambata's trial began on Wednesday, with the first state witnesses taking to the stand.
The State claims that Kambata passed another vehicle on the left with his Mercedes Benz and that he hit Scholtz from behind on her bicycle. He apparently sped off afterwards.
During his bail application, Kambata claimed that Scholtz swerved in front of him.
The accident occurred on 15 November 2019 at the four-way turn-off to the University of Namibia (Unam).
Kambata is facing six charges - culpable homicide, reckless driving, failure to stop at the scene of an accident, failure to render aid to an injured person at the scene of an accident, failure to report an accident and defeating or obstructing the course of justice. He pled not guilty to all the charges.
Kambata was released on 11 December 2019 on bail of N$8 000.
Delays
Although Kambata was already arrested and charged on 18 November 2019, the trial only started this week.
The Covid-19 pandemic and associated restrictions initially hampered the investigation and later issues arose in connection with the police file.
First it went missing; later it was located again, but it was incomplete.
The state prosecutor at the time, Bernadine Bertolini, argued that the few outstanding documents - including the police's forensic report - did not sufficiently weigh against the seriousness of the complaint and the public interest in the outcomes of the court case, and that the case should therefore continue.
Bertolini said there was sufficient evidence to prosecute Kambata.
Scholtz was a city planner and partner at Stubenrauch Planning Consultants for many years. She was also an avid cyclist who took on the Desert Dash ultra-race from Windhoek to Swakopmund as a solo rider.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article