Africa-Press – Namibia. A LONG-RUNNING trial over the killing of a stock theft investigator in the Omaheke region nearly nine years ago is scheduled to continue in the Windhoek High Court in April next year.
With the trial yesterday postponed to 11 to 14 April and 20 to 22 April 2022, one of the key figures in the case, Stockley Kauejao, is back behind bars after being free on bail for more than five years.
This is after acting judge Alfred Siboleka cancelled Kauejao’s bail on Friday last week and directed that he should be held in custody until his trial continues.
The judge took this step after remarking he was convinced that as long as Kauejao (47) remained a free man while on bail his trial “will go nowhere”. Said Siboleka: “Nothing will stop him from using every trick at his disposal to cause hiccups that will frustrate the smooth running of this matter.”
The judge said the matter has been delayed since the prosecution wrapped up its case in the trial in July 2018. Kauejao’s initial defence lawyer withdrew from the case at the end of May this year because he had not been paid, and subsequent legal representatives also did not continue with the matter and informed the court that they too had not been paid for their services.
Siboleka said Kauejao was entitled to the legal representation of his choice, but by instructing lawyers while knowing he would not pay them, he only wanted them to get long postponements of his trial. His only objective was to stall the case and delay its conclusion, the judge said.
Looking at the long period the trial has been going on and Kauejao’s “use of every apparent trick in the book to delay proceedings”, the smooth administration of justice was being brought into disrepute, Siboleka said.
Kauejao and three co-accused – Matheu Kakururume, Muvare Kaporo and Afas Kamutjemo – went on trial in September 2015, when they denied guilt on charges of stock theft and defeating or obstructing the course of justice. Kauejao, Kakururume and Kaporo are also charged with murder, to which they pleaded not guilty as well.
The prosecution is alleging that the four men stole 15 head of cattle in the Gobabis district during December 2012. The theft of the cattle was allegedly planned by Kauejao and Kamutjemo, and Kakururume and Kaporo were asked to help carry out that crime.
After the owner of the cattle had asked a stock theft investigator, Wilfred Kazeurua (55), to help investigate the theft, Kauejao, Kakururume and Kaporo, acting with a common purpose, decided to kill Kazeurua, the prosecution is charging.
Kakururume and Kaporo allegedly murdered Kazeurua on 28 December 2012 by strangling and suffocating him at the farm where Kaporo was employed in the Gobabis district.
Kazeurua’s vehicle was set on fire after he had been killed, and his body was burnt and buried, the court has heard during the trial. Kauejao was in custody for more than three years before Siboleka granted him bail of N$15 000 in July 2016. Kakururume and Kaporo are also in custody, and Kamutjemo is free on bail.
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