Axe murder victim’s son admits killing

A YOUNG man accused of having used an axe to murder his mother almost two years ago is admitting that he killed her, but denies that he can be held responsible for his actions.

Questions about the mental health of murder accused Siegfried Uirab (25), and specifically his mental condition at the time that his mother was killed, were raised by defence lawyer Titus Ipumbu when Uirab made a pre-trial appearance before Judge Christie Liebenberg in the Windhoek High Court yesterday.

Ipumbu informed the judge that Siegfried had been treated at the psychiatric unit of Windhoek Central Hospital about two months before his mother, Erika Uiras (63), was attacked with an axe at Otjimbingwe, south-east of Karibib, on 21 November 2013. Uiras died of head injuries in a Windhoek hospital two days after the attack.

Uirab was diagnosed with substance-induced psychosis when he was treated in the psychiatric unit for two weeks, and was then discharged and given a follow-up date when he had to return to the hospital, Ipumbu said. The incident in which Uirab’s mother was attacked with an axe happened before Uirab had returned to hospital for another check-up, Ipumbu added.

From the prosecution’s side, deputy prosecutor general Antonia Verhoef told the judge that Ipumbu has indicated in a pre-trial document filed with the court that Uirab would admit that he struck his mother with an axe. However, Uirab was not admitting that he could be held criminally responsible for his actions, she added.

Ipumbu initially asked Judge Liebenberg to order that Uirab should again be observed by a psychiatrist to determine if he can be held accountable for his alleged crimes, but then agreed with the judge that the issue of Uirab’s mental condition at the time of his mother’s killing can be dealt with during his trial.

Uirab has already gone through a period of psychiatric observation, Ipumbu informed the judge. After he had been under observation for a month from 6 October last year, two psychiatrists concluded that Uirab could understand court proceedings and was fit to stand trial, and that he could be held accountable for the crimes he is alleged to have committed.

Uirab is due to stand trial on counts of murder, attempted murder, and assault by threat, all read with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act.

Except for being accused of having injured his mother fatally by hitting her four times on the head with an axe, Uirab is also accused of having tried to murder his sister, Lena Uiras, during the same incident by hitting her on the head with the axe, and of chasing around another relative, Lizette Uiras, with the weapon.

Uirab is denying the last two charges, Ipumbu has indicated.

The state is alleging that during the afternoon of 21 November 2013 Uirab had threatened to kill Lizette Uiras and other family members if they did not leave his mother’s house, where they were living. The family members then left the house, but returned later that day.

Uirab arrived at his mother’s house that evening, had a short conversation with his mother, and then launched an attack on her with an axe, before he also chased other relatives around with the axe, the state is charging.

Uirab is being kept in custody while awaiting the start of his trial. He has to appear in court again on Wednesday next week.