25-Year sentence for farmworker who killed employer

The murder of an Omaheke region farmer at the hands of one of his employees in September 2022 was a betrayal of trust, a judge commented when she sentenced the killer in the Windhoek High Court yesterday.

“The court unequivocally condemns the heinous and barbaric act of an employee taking the life of an employer,” judge Philanda Christiaan told farmworker Rodney Hoxobeb (28), who admitted guilt on four charges, including a count of murder, three weeks ago.

“Such an act constitutes a profound violation of both legal and moral principles. The trust and relationship between employer and employee, which is built on mutual respect and a shared commitment to the responsibilities of employment, have been egregiously betrayed,” Christiaan said.

She made the remarks before sentencing Hoxobeb to 25 years’ imprisonment on a charge of murder.

Hoxobeb was also sentenced to a five-year prison term on a count of robbery with aggravating circumstances, two years in jail on a charge of driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, 18 months’ imprisonment for reckless driving and a jail term of four months for driving without a driving licence.

With Christiaan ordering that those jail terms be served concurrently with the sentence on the murder charge, Hoxobeb was sentenced to an effective prison term of 25 years.

He admitted three weeks ago that he murdered and robbed an Omaheke region farmer, Christof Mungunda (65), who was his employer, in the Tallismanus area north-east of Gobabis on 16 September 2022.

He also admitted that he drove a pickup that belonged to Mungunda negligently on a public road in the Epako area of Gobabis after he had stolen the vehicle at the scene where Mungunda had been killed.

Hoxobeb informed the court in a plea statement that he killed Mungunda by hitting him repeatedly on his head and neck with an axe handle.

In a judgement delivered at the start of last week, Christiaan found that Hoxobeb also threw a large rock, weighing close to 60 kilograms, onto Mungunda’s head after he had struck his victim with the axe handle.

In his plea statement, Hoxobeb said he was angry after an altercation with Mungunda earlier that day.

He said he had gone to Mungunda to ask for food, as there was no food at his house, but Mungunda refused to assist him.

Hoxobeb also said he had told Mungunda he could not work on an empty stomach and that he should be taken back to Gobabis if Mungunda did not want to provide food to him, as he felt that Mungunda was mistreating him.

During that conversation, Hoxobeb said, Mungunda insulted him. He reacted by insulting Mungunda and Mungunda slapped him in the face.

According to Hoxobeb, he carried out the fatal assault after he had seen Mungunda going to switch off a generator at night.

The way in which Mungunda was killed, “with deliberate force and preparation”, demonstrates that Hoxobeb did not act impulsively or in the heat of the moment, as was suggested by defence lawyer Joseph Andreas, but rather planned and committed the murder with clear intent, Christiaan said during the sentencing.

She also remarked: “The gruesome act of violence not only destroys the life of the employer, but also undermines the sanctity of the privilege of employment, which is essential for personal development, security and societal harmony. It is an affront to the social and professional order, a betrayal of the fundamental principles of loyalty, respect and decency that bind the employer-employee relationship.”

Hoxobeb, who did not testify in mitigation of sentence, did not express remorse over the crimes he committed, Christiaan said.

State advocate Ian Malumani represented the prosecution.