Court hands down 20-year sentence for brutal killing

A man convicted of murdering his romantic partner in Windhoek three years ago was sentenced to a 20-year prison term yesterday.

Murder victim Hertha Shaningwa “died an excruciating death that no human being deserves to go through”, Windhoek Regional Court magistrate Esme Molefe said during the sentencing of former taxi driver Thomas Maghadi (48), who was found guilty on a charge of murder nearly two weeks ago.

Molefe recounted that Shaningwa (50) was stabbed 11 times when she was killed in her home in the Ombili area of Windhoek on 20 May 2021.

The stab injuries recorded during a post-mortem examination included three stab wounds to her back and three to her abdomen.

Molefe also remarked that Maghadi, who did not testify in mitigation of sentence after he was found guilty, “failed to show any remorse for his actions” and that the seriousness of the crime he was convicted of outweighs his personal circumstances.

A daughter of Shaningwa found her dead in her house during the evening of 20 May 2021.

Shaningwa’s daughter told the court she returned to the house about 30 to 40 minutes after she had gone to buy some candles during an electricity cut.

Her mother was killed during the time she was not at home, Shaningwa’s daughter testified.

A neighbour who had previously been involved in a relationship with Shaningwa told the court he saw Maghadi entering Shaningwa’s house with her. He said that was about 30 minutes before her daughter came to inform him that there was a problem at their house.

A police officer, who is also a relative of Maghadi, testified that he received a cellphone text message from Maghadi during the morning of 21 May 2021. In the message, Maghadi wrote in Oshiwambo that he had killed his wife, and asked the police officer to take him to a police station.

Another witness – a brother of Shaningwa – told the court he received a phone call from Maghadi three days before the incident, and that Maghadi told him Shaningwa should return his car to him and threatened he would kill her and also end his own life if she did not return the vehicle.

Maghadi denied that he killed Shaningwa, and said he had not been at her house during the time she was murdered.

He also denied that he had been involved in a romantic relationship with her.

However, three state witnesses testified that Maghadi and Shaningwa had been involved in a relationship, .

The court was also informed that there was a dispute between Maghadi and Shaningwa about a car that he claimed she had taken from him, while she claimed the car belonged to her.

Maghadi laid a complaint against Shaningwa with the police in April 2021.

In his complaint, he said Shaningwa had taken his car and other belongings from his house while he was in police custody on a charge she had registered against him, and that she thereafter told him she would return his belongings only “after all the demons in me disappear”.

He also complained that she made him go to her church “for the demons in me to be removed”.

Maghadi was arrested on the day after the killing of Shaningwa and was held in custody for more than two years before he was released on bail in August last year.

He was represented by defence lawyer Enos Mwakondange during the last stage of his trial.

Public prosecutor Emma Mayavero represented the state.