Man confessed to assaulting dead girlfriend - police
A 32-year-old man who allegedly hid his 19-year-old girlfriend's body under a bed initially admitted to assaulting her.
This according to Otjiwarongo-based Sergeant Emmietjie Katupose, who testified yesterday in the Windhoek High Court that Lolo Kambwela voluntarily turned himself in at the Otjiwarongo police station for allegedly assaulting Nghimushima Haufiku.
However, at the beginning of his trial, Kambwela - through his lawyer Kenneth Siambango - pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and obstructing or defeating the course of justice.
Kambwela allegedly stabbed Haufiku to death on 13 February 2022 in Otjiwarongo's DRC informal settlement.
'Badly' beaten
“He [Kambwela] came to the police station instructing us to arrest him. He confessed to us that he had been in a fight with Haufiku, where he further confirmed that he had 'badly' beaten her,” Katupose testified before Judge Claudia Claasen.
She said she informed Kambwela that there was no case filed against him at the time, and therefore he could not be arrested. When questioned further, Kambwela provided the name of his girlfriend, she said.
Shortly after Kambwela arrived at the station, Katupose said her colleague received a call from a member of the public reporting a gender-based violence incident in the DRC informal settlement that same night. According to Katupose, the person who called said the suspect had run off and was nowhere to be found.
“At the time, we had no reason to believe the situation was linked to that of Kambwela,” she claimed.
Katupose and two other police officers allegedly drove to DRC to follow up on the tip-off, planning to address Kambwela’s situation afterwards.
Upon arriving at the crime scene, she realised that the victim was none other than Kambwela's girlfriend.
Multiple stab wounds
On Monday, Dr Mamadi Guriras testified on behalf of Dr Cesar Arzuaga, who initially performed the autopsy on Haufiku. Arzuaga, who was in Namibia on a contract, has since returned to Cuba.
Guriras said the report did not reveal which was the fatal wound, but confirmed that Haufiku had suffered multiple stab wounds to her neck and back, made with a sharp object.
"The report indicates that Haufiku's organs were pale and that she suffered hypovolemic shock from stab wounds to her chest," she testified. She also noted a defence wound on Haufiku's wrist, where the tendons were severed.
Guriras explained that defence wounds are characterised by their location and typically occur when a person attempts to protect themselves from an attacker.
This according to Otjiwarongo-based Sergeant Emmietjie Katupose, who testified yesterday in the Windhoek High Court that Lolo Kambwela voluntarily turned himself in at the Otjiwarongo police station for allegedly assaulting Nghimushima Haufiku.
However, at the beginning of his trial, Kambwela - through his lawyer Kenneth Siambango - pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and obstructing or defeating the course of justice.
Kambwela allegedly stabbed Haufiku to death on 13 February 2022 in Otjiwarongo's DRC informal settlement.
'Badly' beaten
“He [Kambwela] came to the police station instructing us to arrest him. He confessed to us that he had been in a fight with Haufiku, where he further confirmed that he had 'badly' beaten her,” Katupose testified before Judge Claudia Claasen.
She said she informed Kambwela that there was no case filed against him at the time, and therefore he could not be arrested. When questioned further, Kambwela provided the name of his girlfriend, she said.
Shortly after Kambwela arrived at the station, Katupose said her colleague received a call from a member of the public reporting a gender-based violence incident in the DRC informal settlement that same night. According to Katupose, the person who called said the suspect had run off and was nowhere to be found.
“At the time, we had no reason to believe the situation was linked to that of Kambwela,” she claimed.
Katupose and two other police officers allegedly drove to DRC to follow up on the tip-off, planning to address Kambwela’s situation afterwards.
Upon arriving at the crime scene, she realised that the victim was none other than Kambwela's girlfriend.
Multiple stab wounds
On Monday, Dr Mamadi Guriras testified on behalf of Dr Cesar Arzuaga, who initially performed the autopsy on Haufiku. Arzuaga, who was in Namibia on a contract, has since returned to Cuba.
Guriras said the report did not reveal which was the fatal wound, but confirmed that Haufiku had suffered multiple stab wounds to her neck and back, made with a sharp object.
"The report indicates that Haufiku's organs were pale and that she suffered hypovolemic shock from stab wounds to her chest," she testified. She also noted a defence wound on Haufiku's wrist, where the tendons were severed.
Guriras explained that defence wounds are characterised by their location and typically occur when a person attempts to protect themselves from an attacker.
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