Omaheke stock theft mastermind, two others found guilty of 2012 investigator murder

More than 12 years after an Omaheke region stock theft investigator was killed while trying to solve the theft of 15 head of cattle, three men have been found guilty of murdering the investigator.

The three men – Stockley Kauejao, Matheu Kakururume and Muvare Kaporo – were found guilty of murder in a judgement that acting judge Alfred Siboleka delivered in the Windhoek High Court yesterday.

Siboleka also convicted the three men and a fourth accused, Afas Kamutjemo, on counts of stock theft and obstructing the course of justice.

Siboleka found that Kauejao orchestrated the theft of 15 head of cattle at a farm in the Gobabis district during December 2012, and also was the mastermind behind the murder of stock theft investigator Wilfred Kazeurua (55).

Kakururume and Kaporo killed Kazeurua on 28 December 2012, after the owner of the stolen cattle had asked him to investigate the theft. Kazeurua’s body was burnt and buried after he had been killed, and his body was found about 10 days after his death.

The trial of the four accused started in September 2015, when the accused denied guilt on all charges.

Siboleka noted in his judgement that Kakururume was employed at the farm where the 15 head of cattle were stolen during the absence of their owner, while Kaporo was employed at a neighbouring farm, where Kauejao was farming.

Kakururume made a detailed confession to a magistrate at Gobabis after his arrest in January 2013, the judge also noted.

In his confession, Kakururume recounted that Kauejao offered Kaporo and himself N$8 000 to steal 15 heifers from the farm where he was employed.

Kakururume told the magistrate that he and Kaporo drove 15 head of cattle to the farm where Kauejao was farming.

After the owner of the cattle asked Kazeurua to investigate the theft of his livestock, Kazeurua picked Kakururume and Kaporo up and questioned them while trying to track down the stolen cattle.

Kazeurua was at Aminuis with Kakururume and Kaporo when Kaporo spoke to Kauejao on his cellphone, and Kauejao told him to get rid of Kazeurua before he managed to find the stolen cattle, Kakururume related in his confession.

He also said he and Kaporo attacked Kazeurua and strangled him when they were back at the farm where Kauejao was farming.

After killing Kazeurua, they burned his body and hid it in a hole in the ground.

On an instruction from Kauejao, they also burned Kazeurua’s vehicle, Kakururume said.

Kakururume disputed his confession during the trial, but Siboleka concluded that his statement to the magistrate had been made freely and voluntarily and that it, rather than his testimony during the trial, reflected the truth.

Kaporo also implicated himself when he told a fellow employee at Kauejao’s farm that he and Kakururume had killed Kazeurua, Siboleka recounted in his judgement.

The fellow employee also heard Kaporo informing Kauejao by cellphone that he and Kakururume had killed Kazeurua.

Siboleka concluded that the evidence showed Kauejao had orchestrated the stock theft that set off the chain of events that led to the murder of Kazeurua, and that he was the mastermind of the investigator’s killing.

Kamutjemo became involved in the theft of the cattle when he, according to a witness, drove a lorry belonging to Kauejao when it was used to transport the stolen livestock from Kauejao’s farm.

The four convicted men are scheduled to return to court on 23 April for a date for their presentence hearing to be set.

They are being held in custody.