Gang rape cases sent to High Court

THE troubles faced by four young men accused of gang-raping and murdering a young woman in Windhoek in May 2005 became even more serious this week.

They were told that their case is now being sent to the High Court for trial. The men are accused of murdering 23-year-old Theresia Afrikaner in Okuryangava in Windhoek in 2005.Sam Angolo (23), Jonathan Ashipala Taapopi (21), Stefanus Lazarus (27) and Thomas Phillemon (26) – had been scheduled to go on trial in the Windhoek Regional Court on a charge of murder and four counts of rape in late November this year.On Monday, though, the four were notified that the Prosecutor General had decided to cancel the instruction that they should be tried in the Regional Court, and instructed that they be indicted in the High Court instead.Not only does it have wider sentencing powers than the Regional Court, but the four will also face an additional charge of kidnapping, together with a count of murder and four charges of rape.They have to make a first pre-trial appearance in the High Court on September 20.The indictment alleges that Afrikaner had been socialising at one or more shebeens in Okuryangava on the night of Friday May 13 2005 and into the early morning hours of May 14.At some stage during the early morning hours, it is alleged, the four suspects started assaulting Afrikaner by beating and kicking her or throwing stones at her.They dragged her from the vicinity of Shikuru Bar, one of the shebeens in the area, towards a riverbed and threatened witnesses who wanted to come to Afrikaner’s help, it is alleged.Some of the four were armed with knives, it is charged.At the riverbed, the four took turns raping Afrikaner, it is charged in the indictment.They left her body lying there after strangling her to death, it is further charged.Seven witnesses summoned to testify in the trial of the four were at the Windhoek Regional Court when the trial failed to start in mid-May because Taapopi was still waiting to hear if the Directorate of Legal Aid would be providing him with legal representation.The names of 24 possible prosecution witnesses are now listed in the indictment that the four will face in the High Court.The four accused men all remain in custody.The men are accused of murdering 23-year-old Theresia Afrikaner in Okuryangava in Windhoek in 2005.Sam Angolo (23), Jonathan Ashipala Taapopi (21), Stefanus Lazarus (27) and Thomas Phillemon (26) – had been scheduled to go on trial in the Windhoek Regional Court on a charge of murder and four counts of rape in late November this year.On Monday, though, the four were notified that the Prosecutor General had decided to cancel the instruction that they should be tried in the Regional Court, and instructed that they be indicted in the High Court instead.Not only does it have wider sentencing powers than the Regional Court, but the four will also face an additional charge of kidnapping, together with a count of murder and four charges of rape.They have to make a first pre-trial appearance in the High Court on September 20.The indictment alleges that Afrikaner had been socialising at one or more shebeens in Okuryangava on the night of Friday May 13 2005 and into the early morning hours of May 14. At some stage during the early morning hours, it is alleged, the four suspects started assaulting Afrikaner by beating and kicking her or throwing stones at her.They dragged her from the vicinity of Shikuru Bar, one of the shebeens in the area, towards a riverbed and threatened witnesses who wanted to come to Afrikaner’s help, it is alleged.Some of the four were armed with knives, it is charged.At the riverbed, the four took turns raping Afrikaner, it is charged in the indictment.They left her body lying there after strangling her to death, it is further charged.Seven witnesses summoned to testify in the trial of the four were at the Windhoek Regional Court when the trial failed to start in mid-May because Taapopi was still waiting to hear if the Directorate of Legal Aid would be providing him with legal representation.The names of 24 possible prosecution witnesses are now listed in the indictment that the four will face in the High Court.The four accused men all remain in custody.