Toiletries for sex in prison
The reasons behind the fatal fight in the bathroom of the Windhoek Central Prison on 18 January 2012 are unfolding in the testimony of a former partner of the deceased in the prison court of the Windhoek High Court.
Herman Rukero testified to presiding Judge Dinnah Uusiku that in 2009, he had had sexual relations for one month with the deceased, Eddy Gomxob (33).
When he later decided to discontinue the relationship persistent fighting erupted between them as he refused to be the ‘woman’ in the relationship.
He told the court that on that fateful day he and a fellow prisoner, Bendictus Afrikaner, killed Gomxob by stabbing him with sharpened pieces of wire. The deceased had 11 stab wounds on his body.
A fellow inmate, Andreas Neyulu, yesterday testified that he witnessed continued fighting between Rukero and the Gomxob. He said in 2012 when he inquired as to why they were fighting, the accused told him that Gomxob wanted him to be his wife and that since he was a man he did not want to be a wife.
At a later stage, he said Gomxob told him that the fighting was because of “those two kids”, referring to Rukero and Afrikaner.
“The two kids do not see me. Today you will collect either my corpse or Rukero’s corpse,” Neyulu said Gomxob told him.
Rukero initially told the court on Tuesday that in 2009 when he was imprisoned at a very young age, he had no family to support him and as a result experienced hardship in the prison.
“The hardship forced me into having sex with the deceased in exchange for toiletries,” Rukero testified.
He stressed that the relationship started in 2009 and lasted only a month. When he stopped it Gomxob did not accept it and consequently there were continuous fights between them.
The accused denied allegations that he had also intimate relationship with Afrikaner and described such allegations as lies.
He and his co-accused, Afrikaner and Maleachi Seibeb, are facing charges of murder and defeating or obstructing the course of justice, or attempting to do so. At the start of their trial in 2015 all three accused denied guilt. Rukero further testified that Gomxob was jealous and consequently they fought almost every day.
“The late Gomxob did not want anyone in the prison cell to stay close to me.
He would accuse me of having sexual relationship,” he said.
He further said when he told Gomxob that he did not want a sexual relationship anymore Gomxob threatened him. Rukero said on 18 January 2012 when he went to the bathroom Gomxob followed him and came up to him but he pushed him back, refusing to be touched. He said Gomxob started hitting him with his fists and one blow struck him on the forehead while he blocked the rest.
Gomxob allegedly pulled out a sharpened wire to stab him but he held onto his hands. At that time Afrikaner came into the bathroom started kicking Gomxob and pulled out his sharpened wire and started to stab the deceased.
At the start of the internal investigation he handed over the sharpened wires he and Afrikaner had to the superintendent of prison unit.
He emphasised that he never threatened anyone on 18 January 2012 that they would follow the same path as the deceased if they ever revealed to anyone what happened that day.
FRED GOEIEMAN
Herman Rukero testified to presiding Judge Dinnah Uusiku that in 2009, he had had sexual relations for one month with the deceased, Eddy Gomxob (33).
When he later decided to discontinue the relationship persistent fighting erupted between them as he refused to be the ‘woman’ in the relationship.
He told the court that on that fateful day he and a fellow prisoner, Bendictus Afrikaner, killed Gomxob by stabbing him with sharpened pieces of wire. The deceased had 11 stab wounds on his body.
A fellow inmate, Andreas Neyulu, yesterday testified that he witnessed continued fighting between Rukero and the Gomxob. He said in 2012 when he inquired as to why they were fighting, the accused told him that Gomxob wanted him to be his wife and that since he was a man he did not want to be a wife.
At a later stage, he said Gomxob told him that the fighting was because of “those two kids”, referring to Rukero and Afrikaner.
“The two kids do not see me. Today you will collect either my corpse or Rukero’s corpse,” Neyulu said Gomxob told him.
Rukero initially told the court on Tuesday that in 2009 when he was imprisoned at a very young age, he had no family to support him and as a result experienced hardship in the prison.
“The hardship forced me into having sex with the deceased in exchange for toiletries,” Rukero testified.
He stressed that the relationship started in 2009 and lasted only a month. When he stopped it Gomxob did not accept it and consequently there were continuous fights between them.
The accused denied allegations that he had also intimate relationship with Afrikaner and described such allegations as lies.
He and his co-accused, Afrikaner and Maleachi Seibeb, are facing charges of murder and defeating or obstructing the course of justice, or attempting to do so. At the start of their trial in 2015 all three accused denied guilt. Rukero further testified that Gomxob was jealous and consequently they fought almost every day.
“The late Gomxob did not want anyone in the prison cell to stay close to me.
He would accuse me of having sexual relationship,” he said.
He further said when he told Gomxob that he did not want a sexual relationship anymore Gomxob threatened him. Rukero said on 18 January 2012 when he went to the bathroom Gomxob followed him and came up to him but he pushed him back, refusing to be touched. He said Gomxob started hitting him with his fists and one blow struck him on the forehead while he blocked the rest.
Gomxob allegedly pulled out a sharpened wire to stab him but he held onto his hands. At that time Afrikaner came into the bathroom started kicking Gomxob and pulled out his sharpened wire and started to stab the deceased.
At the start of the internal investigation he handed over the sharpened wires he and Afrikaner had to the superintendent of prison unit.
He emphasised that he never threatened anyone on 18 January 2012 that they would follow the same path as the deceased if they ever revealed to anyone what happened that day.
FRED GOEIEMAN
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