A Man convicted of murdering his domestic partner in a knife attack on Christmas Day in 2021 has now been sentenced to an effective prison term of 23 years.
Judge Herman January sentenced Henok Negodhi (46) to 28 years’ imprisonment, of which five years are suspended, at the end of his trial in the Windhoek High Court on Tuesday.
Negodhi was found guilty on a charge of murder, read with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act, in a judgement delivered by January at the start of November last year.
The judge found that Negodhi murdered his domestic partner, Ndapandula Imene (38), on 25 December 2021 by stabbing her with a knife at their house in the Mix settlement of Windhoek.
Imene was stabbed 16 times, including three times in the chest and five times in the abdomen.
Three children were eyewitnesses to a part of the fatal attack on Imene, which took place during the early morning hours.
The children – one of them a son of Negodhi and Imene – testified that they saw Negodhi sitting on Imene, who was lying on her back on her bed, and stabbing her repeatedly.
Negodhi told the court during his trial that he and Imene had been involved in a relationship for 13 years.
January remarked during the sentencing on Tuesday: “The accused indeed committed a serious and horrific crime. [Imene’s] life was ended in a gruesome and sudden manner. [Negodhi] continued stabbing the deceased despite attempts from the children to stop him.”
He continued: “The reason behind it remains a mystery, but all indications are that it was jealousy which built up over time, ending in an uncontrollable rage on the day of the incident.”
January added that interpersonal relationship challenges should not be solved with violence and killing.
As Imene’s intimate partner, Negodhi was in a position of trust in relation to her and also her children, January said, adding that it was aggravating that the children at their house had to witness the acts of violence perpetrated by Negodhi.
The event the children witnessed will leave them with psychological and emotional scars for years to come, January said as well.
The court was informed that Negodhi, who is a father of five children, was employed as a driver by a construction company at Karibib before the fatal incident. Imene was a mother of four children, the court was also told.
January said he took into account, before deciding to suspend five years of the 28-year term of imprisonment Negodhi was sentenced to, that Negodhi spent more than three years in custody before his trial was concluded.
State advocate Anna Amukugo represented the prosecution during Negodhi’s trial.
Negodhi was represented by legal aid lawyer Tuna Nhinda during the last stage of the trial.
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