Caprivi resident sent to prison for 2000 murder

A FATAL stabbing that happened close to six years ago came back to haunt a Caprivi Region resident this week, when he was convicted of murder and sentenced to an effective 10-year prison term.

Njao Sililo, then aged 20, was arrested on the same day that a knife-stabbing incident claimed the life of a friend and relative, Muchanabi Sililo, in the Kongola area in the Caprivi Region on October 29 2000. It took more than five years before his trial started in the Katima Mulilo Regional Court in late February this year.On Monday this week, the trial ended with Magistrate Naomi Shivute convicting Sililo on a charge of murder.She sentenced him to 13 years’ imprisonment, of which three years were suspended for five years on condition that he is not again convicted of murder during this period of suspension.Sililo had been free on bail until Monday.The delay in his trial was as a result of a long wait to be provided with legal aid.Sililo first applied to the Directorate of Legal Aid in February 2002.It took until February this year before he had a Directorate defence lawyer, Izak Hohne.Muchanabi Sililo died after he was stabbed in the chest with a bread knife.At his trial, Njao Sililo claimed he had acted in self-defence when he stabbed his friend.The court heard that the two men and three other friends had been drinking and socialising together on the day of the incident.At some stage, a spot of rough play and mock fighting between the friends turned into something more serious, and an argument broke out between the two Sililos.Njao Sililo claimed during the trial that Muchanabi Sililo had kicked him and was strangling him, and that this forced him to defend himself with the knife.Other witnesses however claimed that the reverse was true, and that Njao Sililo had been the one who was the aggressor in the situation.Public Prosecutor Pieter Smit represented the State during the trial.It took more than five years before his trial started in the Katima Mulilo Regional Court in late February this year.On Monday this week, the trial ended with Magistrate Naomi Shivute convicting Sililo on a charge of murder.She sentenced him to 13 years’ imprisonment, of which three years were suspended for five years on condition that he is not again convicted of murder during this period of suspension.Sililo had been free on bail until Monday.The delay in his trial was as a result of a long wait to be provided with legal aid.Sililo first applied to the Directorate of Legal Aid in February 2002.It took until February this year before he had a Directorate defence lawyer, Izak Hohne.Muchanabi Sililo died after he was stabbed in the chest with a bread knife.At his trial, Njao Sililo claimed he had acted in self-defence when he stabbed his friend.The court heard that the two men and three other friends had been drinking and socialising together on the day of the incident.At some stage, a spot of rough play and mock fighting between the friends turned into something more serious, and an argument broke out between the two Sililos.Njao Sililo claimed during the trial that Muchanabi Sililo had kicked him and was strangling him, and that this forced him to defend himself with the knife.Other witnesses however claimed that the reverse was true, and that Njao Sililo had been the one who was the aggressor in the situation.Public Prosecutor Pieter Smit represented the State during the trial.