35 years for fatal knife attack

THE murder that Gobabis resident Ronny Naobeb committed when he stabbed his girlfriend to death almost three years ago was “cowardly, callous and cold-blooded”, Naobeb was told before he was sent to prison for 35 years yesterday.

Even if it had to be accepted that Naobeb was trying to retaliate after his girlfriend, Sesley Swartbooi, allegedly attempted to launch a sudden attack with a knife on him – and this was not not accepted – Naobeb had “no reason whatsoever to have pursued (Swartbooi) as if she was a wounded animal and continuously stabbing her with a sharp-edged knife until her soul departed,” Judge Mainga told Naobeb during his sentencing in the High Court in Windhoek. “What a cowardly, callous and cold-blooded act,” the Judge commented.On Friday, Judge Mainga convicted Naobeb (29) of murder in connection with the stabbing that claimed Swartbooi’s life at Gobabis on September 29 2004.He also found Naobeb guilty of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm as a result of an attempt that Naobeb, still armed with a knife, made to scare off a neighbour who tried to come to Swartbooi’s rescue.Swartbooi was killed at the age of 24 when she was stabbed 24 times in an attack that continued even as she fled her house with Naobeb chasing her to continue the attack, the Judge noted.At the time, Naobeb was free on bail on charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and assault by threat that Swartbooi had laid against him in August 2004.”(I)n total disregard for the laws of this land”, Naobeb murdered Swartbooi while he was on bail on the assault charges that she had laid against him,” Judge Mainga noted.The picture that emerged from the evidence was that Swartbooi was probably killed because she had ended her relationship with Naobeb and all attempts by Naobeb to win her back were rejected.The Judge added that this was probably aggravated by the fact that on the day she was murdered Swartbooi planned to leave Gobabis for a visit elsewhere – a plan that Naobeb did not approve of.”That being the circumstances, it places the murder of (Swartbooi) in the category of those senseless murders in this country.No reason exists why she was murdered,” Judge Mainga said.The only reason could be that as a woman, however much she was physically assaulted at the hands of Naobeb, Swartbooi would not be allowed to terminate her relationship with him.Namibia is, as was stated by a South African Judge in the context of South Africa some years back, suffering “an unprecedented, uncontrolled and unacceptable wave of violence, murder, homicide, robbery and rape” in which a “blatant and flagrant want of respect for the life and property of fellow human beings has become prevalent”, Judge Mainga said.In Namibia the situation was equally alarming, he indicated.”Every law-abiding citizen is shocked to the core at the rate of murders and rapes especially of defenceless women and children, and the brutality and callousness that accompany them,” the Judge said.”There is undoubtedly widespread outrage of these murders in our society.Our courts cannot turn a blind eye at that outrage,” he remarked.With Swartbooi’s death, two children – a boy now aged seven, and a nine-year-old girl – lost their mother, the court heard after the verdict had been delivered on Friday.With Naobeb’s sentencing yesterday, another two children – his son, also aged seven, and his five-year-old daughter – are set to have to grow up without their father for many years to come.Naobeb ran a cuca shop at Gobabis at the time of the incident.He was represented Boris Isaacks, on instructions from the Legal Aid Directorate.Ruben Shileka prosecuted on behalf of the State.”What a cowardly, callous and cold-blooded act,” the Judge commented.On Friday, Judge Mainga convicted Naobeb (29) of murder in connection with the stabbing that claimed Swartbooi’s life at Gobabis on September 29 2004.He also found Naobeb guilty of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm as a result of an attempt that Naobeb, still armed with a knife, made to scare off a neighbour who tried to come to Swartbooi’s rescue.Swartbooi was killed at the age of 24 when she was stabbed 24 times in an attack that continued even as she fled her house with Naobeb chasing her to continue the attack, the Judge noted.At the time, Naobeb was free on bail on charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and assault by threat that Swartbooi had laid against him in August 2004.”(I)n total disregard for the laws of this land”, Naobeb murdered Swartbooi while he was on bail on the assault charges that she had laid against him,” Judge Mainga noted.The picture that emerged from the evidence was that Swartbooi was probably killed because she had ended her relationship with Naobeb and all attempts by Naobeb to win her back were rejected.The Judge added that this was probably aggravated by the fact that on the day she was murdered Swartbooi planned to leave Gobabis for a visit elsewhere – a plan that Naobeb did not approve of.”That being the circumstances, it places the murder of (Swartbooi) in the category of those senseless murders in this country.No reason exists why she was murdered,” Judge Mainga said.The only reason could be that as a woman, however much she was physically assaulted at the hands of Naobeb, Swartbooi would not be allowed to terminate her relationship with him.Namibia is, as was stated by a South African Judge in the context of South Africa some years back, suffering “an unprecedented, uncontrolled and unacceptable wave of violence, murder, homicide, robbery and rape” in which a “blatant and flagrant want of respect for the life and property of fellow human beings has become prevalent”, Judge Mainga said.In Namibia the situation was equally alarming, he indicated.”Every law-abiding citizen is shocked to the core at the rate of murders and rapes especially of defenceless women and children, and the brutality and callousness that accompany them,” the Judge said.”There is undoubtedly widespread outrage of these murders in our society.Our courts cannot turn a blind eye at that outrage,” he remarked.With Swartbooi’s death, two children – a boy now aged seven, and a nine-year-old girl – lost their mother, the court heard after the verdict had been delivered on Friday.With Naobeb’s sentencing yesterday, another two children – his son, also aged seven, and his five-year-old daughter – are set to have to grow up without their father for many years to come.Naobeb ran a cuca shop at Gobabis at the time of the incident.He was represented Boris Isaacks, on instructions from the Legal Aid Directorate.Ruben Shileka prosecuted on behalf of the State.