The Windhoek Magistrate ruled that releasing him from custody would not be in the public's best interest.

Magistrate Cosmos Endjala agreed with prosecutor Antonia Verhoef that there was a strong possibility Schiefer would use the opportunity to abscond, considering the seriousness of the charges against him and the evidence implicating the 19-year-old in the death of both his parents on January 18.

Schiefer indicated during cross-questioning that his family was willing to put up N$10 000 for bail.

Many of his relatives, including both brothers with whom Schiefer would most likely have stayed had bail been granted, were denied the opportunity to testify in his defence as they are considered State witnesses in his trial proper.

The State used the relationship between Schiefer and many of the witnesses in his trial as more grounds to oppose bail.

Verhoef suggested these witnesses could end up changing their statements if they were given an opportunity to communicate with Schiefer unsupervised.

Arguments by defence lawyer Ivo dos Santos that his meetings with his client had been hampered by the fact that they were forced to meet at the Windhoek Police station where they were prone to disturbances, and the lack of clinic facilities, were brushed off by the State as logistical matters.

Verhoef said Schiefer was being held at the Windhoek Police Station at his own will, and suggested that he could easily be moved to the Windhoek Central Prison, which she said was better equipped with clinical and counselling facilities.

Schiefer has indicated that he has family in Europe and South Africa, but added that he did not know where exactly they lived.

Dos Santos argued that Namibia had extradition laws which could be applied if his client actually did abscond.

With his failed bid now behind him, Schiefer will remain in custody at the Windhoek Police Station until his next court date in July.

Schiefer was arrested on January 19 and charged with the murder of both his parents at the family's home in Khomasdal the previous night.

Both his parents were found dead in their bedroom.

The body of his father, Frans Schiefer (50) was found lying in his bed with a single bullet wound to the head.

His mother, Fransiena Schiefer (50) was found on the floor with a knife blade stuck in her throat.

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