Man in court over girlfriend’s death

A 27-YEAR-OLD Windhoek resident accused of having killed his girlfriend on New Year’s Eve with multiple revolver shots to the head made his first court appearance in the city yesterday.

Except for being asked whether he wanted legal representation or to apply for legal aid, Manuel Alberto da Silva did not speak during this appearance. At the request of Public Prosecutor Mervin Kozonguizi, presiding Magistrate Oupa Britz postponed proceedings against Da Silva’s to March 10, pending the processing of his legal-aid application and further investigation.The Magistrate ordered that meanwhile Da Silva should be kept in custody at the Windhoek Central Prison.Da Silva was arrested at Rundu on the afternoon of New Year’s Day.The Police say he was still in Windhoek less than a day earlier, and in the company of his girlfriend, Monalisa Shirley de Kock (23), in the last minutes of her life.She was found fatally wounded – with five gunshot wounds to the head – in the grounds of the Ella du Plessis High School shortly after 22h30 on New Year’s Eve.Only minutes before, the Police claim, she and Da Silva had got out of a taxi near the school’s entrance gate.They had been arguing in the vehicle, it is also claimed.According to witnesses, the couple went into the schoolyard and shots were heard from there soon afterwards.The Police have also reported that the suspected murder weapon – a .22 revolver – was in Da Silva’s possession when he was arrested.De Kock was employed at a service station’s fast-food outlet in Hochland Park, Windhoek.She had a daughter one year and four months old.At the request of Public Prosecutor Mervin Kozonguizi, presiding Magistrate Oupa Britz postponed proceedings against Da Silva’s to March 10, pending the processing of his legal-aid application and further investigation. The Magistrate ordered that meanwhile Da Silva should be kept in custody at the Windhoek Central Prison. Da Silva was arrested at Rundu on the afternoon of New Year’s Day. The Police say he was still in Windhoek less than a day earlier, and in the company of his girlfriend, Monalisa Shirley de Kock (23), in the last minutes of her life. She was found fatally wounded – with five gunshot wounds to the head – in the grounds of the Ella du Plessis High School shortly after 22h30 on New Year’s Eve. Only minutes before, the Police claim, she and Da Silva had got out of a taxi near the school’s entrance gate. They had been arguing in the vehicle, it is also claimed. According to witnesses, the couple went into the schoolyard and shots were heard from there soon afterwards. The Police have also reported that the suspected murder weapon – a .22 revolver – was in Da Silva’s possession when he was arrested. De Kock was employed at a service station’s fast-food outlet in Hochland Park, Windhoek. She had a daughter one year and four months old.