Gideon Johannes (Deon) de Waal made a first appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Magistrate Gibson Imbili told De Waal, from the farm Rus-en-Vrede in the Leonardville area, that his case was being postponed to December 11 for further investigation and that he would remain in custody.

De Waal faces charges of culpable homicide, failure to stop after an accident, failure to ascertain injuries after an accident, and defeating the course of justice.

It is alleged that he was involved in a hit-and-run accident along Windhoek's Robert Mugabe Avenue on the evening of September 20.

A granddaughter of Witbooi, Edith 'Mildred' Witbooi (22), was injured, while Dawid Dirk 'Riaan' Petersen (27), a grandson of a sister of Witbooi was killed.

It was previously mistakenly reported that Petersen was a grandson of the Deputy PM.

Petersen and Mildred Witbooi are thought to have been walking on a sidewalk next to Robert Mugabe Avenue while on their way to the Deputy PM's house in Suiderhof when, it is suspected, a Nissan pick-up crashed onto the pavement, hitting them and thereafter leaving the scene.

Another grandchild of the Deputy PM found his two gravely injured relatives lying on the far side of a railing next to the road at about 01h30, while he was on his way to a nearby shop.

It is suspected that they may have been lying at the scene for hours before help arrived.

Petersen died after his arrival at the Katutura State Hospital.

Mildred Witbooi was yesterday reported to be making good progress.

She was released from hospital on Wednesday.

The Witbooi family had been gathering at the Deputy PM's house late on the evening of September 20 for a prayer meeting for Witbooi's late wife, Paulina '!Gas' Witbooi, who had died a week before.

The Police indicated yesterday that a tip-off led to De Waal's arrest.

Someone who read about the hit-and-run incident in the media alerted them to the fact that De Waal's bakkie had allegedly had some parts - matching some that were found damaged at the scene - replaced recently.

De Waal was represented by Hennie Barnardy.

Public Prosecutor Arrie Husselmann requested the postponement on behalf of the State.

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