Comet-watcher murder suspects deny charges

THE five men accused of involvement in the robbery and murder of a Windhoek resident during a comet-watching excursion on the outskirts of the city early this year have all pleaded not guilty during their latest appearance in court.

The five pleaded not guilty to five charges when they appeared before Magistrate Helvi Shilemba in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Katutura on Tuesday last week. None of them disclosed the basis of their pleas.The five – Okahandja residents Erastus Haikali and Petrus Mathias, and Windhoek residents Max Kleopas, Festus Kimba, also known as Nepembe, and Josef Taukondjo Shikongo – are accused of robbing and murdering Windhoek resident Cornelius Swiegers (53) in the Goreangab Dam area on January 18.Swiegers and some friends were on a hill near the dam, intending to view the brightest comet visible from earth for more than four decades, Comet McNaught, when they were attacked by a group of three masked armed men.During the hold-up, Swiegers was shot in the chest.The shot killed him.Swiegers had been employed at a car dealership in the city.According to a count of robbery with aggravating circumstances that was one of the charges that the five men denied last week, two cellphones, two cameras, two camera lenses, a video camera charger, a global positioning system (GPS) device, binoculars and cash were stolen during the alleged robbery.Haikali and Mathias were the first of the suspects to be arrested, on January 24.The Police reported at the time that they had been found in possession of the cellphones stolen during the incident.Kleopas was arrested at Mariental on January 31.Kimba and Shikongo were arrested in Windhoek’s Havana area three days later The Police reported at the time that they were found in possession of the suspected murder weapon.Except for the counts of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances, the five also were asked to plead to charges of possessing suspected stolen property, being two cellphones, at Okahandja on January 24, a charge of possessing an unlicensed Makarov pistol in Windhoek on February 3, and a charge of illegally possessing seven rounds of ammunition in Windhoek on February 3.The aggravated robbery and murder case against the five has been postponed to November 22 for the Prosecutor General to decide on the further prosecution against Haikali, Mathias, Kleopas, Kimba and Shikongo.Haikali and Mathias are free on bail.The other three men remain in custody.Lawyer André Louw represented the five during the plea proceedings.Public Prosecutor Roxzaan Witbooi represented the State.None of them disclosed the basis of their pleas.The five – Okahandja residents Erastus Haikali and Petrus Mathias, and Windhoek residents Max Kleopas, Festus Kimba, also known as Nepembe, and Josef Taukondjo Shikongo – are accused of robbing and murdering Windhoek resident Cornelius Swiegers (53) in the Goreangab Dam area on January 18.Swiegers and some friends were on a hill near the dam, intending to view the brightest comet visible from earth for more than four decades, Comet McNaught, when they were attacked by a group of three masked armed men.During the hold-up, Swiegers was shot in the chest.The shot killed him.Swiegers had been employed at a car dealership in the city.According to a count of robbery with aggravating circumstances that was one of the charges that the five men denied last week, two cellphones, two cameras, two camera lenses, a video camera charger, a global positioning system (GPS) device, binoculars and cash were stolen during the alleged robbery.Haikali and Mathias were the first of the suspects to be arrested, on January 24.The Police reported at the time that they had been found in possession of the cellphones stolen during the incident.Kleopas was arrested at Mariental on January 31.Kimba and Shikongo were arrested in Windhoek’s Havana area three days later The Police reported at the time that they were found in possession of the suspected murder weapon.Except for the counts of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances, the five also were asked to plead to charges of possessing suspected stolen property, being two cellphones, at Okahandja on January 24, a charge of possessing an unlicensed Makarov pistol in Windhoek on February 3, and a charge of illegally possessing seven rounds of ammunition in Windhoek on February 3.The aggravated robbery and murder case against the five has been postponed to November 22 for the Prosecutor General to decide on the further prosecution against Haikali, Mathias, Kleopas, Kimba and Shikongo.Haikali and Mathias are free on bail.The other three men remain in custody.Lawyer André Louw represented the five during the plea proceedings.Public Prosecutor Roxzaan Witbooi represented the State.