Cuckolded killer gets 10-year prison term

A FORMER Ondangwa-based motor mechanic, who was accused of murdering a younger man who was cuckolding him, was sentenced to an effective 10 years in jail last week.

Mechanic Christoffel Coetzee stood trial before Judge Louis Muller in the High Court at Oshakati on counts of murder and attempted murder. He denied both charges, but Judge Muller convicted him during the High Court’s current circuit court session at Oshakati on April 27.On Thursday last week, the Judge sentenced Coetzee to 15 years’ imprisonment.Five years were suspended for five years on condition that Coetzee is not again convicted of a similar offence committed during the period of suspension.Coetzee (50) was accused of murdering 43-year-old Alfred Charles Ricketts at Ondangwa on February 18 2005.Coetzee also faced a charge in which he was accused of attempting to murder his wife, Juanita Marlene Coetzee, on the same day.The prosecution alleged that Coetzee knew Ricketts, as Ricketts was involved in a relationship with Coetzee’s wife.On the evening of February 17 2005, Mrs Coetzee arranged a small party at her and her husband’s home to celebrate her birthday, it is stated in the indictment that Coetzee faced.Ricketts was one of the guests.At about midnight, the party moved to Ricketts’s house, according to the indictment.It was there that Coetzee and Ricketts became involved in a quarrel which degenerated into a scuffle and ended with Coetzee pulling out a knife and stabbing Ricketts in his neck, it was charged.Ricketts died as a result of the stab wound.When Mrs Coetzee tried to help Ricketts, Coetzee turned the knife on her, stabbing her twice in the neck and once in the shoulder, the prosecution alleged further.The court heard that the stabbing took place after an all-night drinking session in which Ricketts and Mrs Coetzee celebrated her birthday with beer and red wine from the afternoon of February 17 to about 05h00 on February 18 2005.According to Coetzee, though, he did not consume any alcohol, as this was against his Christian principles.Coetzee claimed he had acted in self-defence after Ricketts had attacked him.He further claimed that his wife got stabbed accidentally during a struggle for the possession of the knife.Judge Muller did not accept this defence.When handing down the sentence, he noted that Coetzee was, at a relatively mature age, still a first offender who could in his opinion still be rehabilitated.Coetzee remained in Police custody from his arrest on the day after the incident until his trial was finalised.Deputy Prosecutor General Heidi Jacobs represented the State during the trial.Coetzee was represented by defence counsel Frieda Kishi.He denied both charges, but Judge Muller convicted him during the High Court’s current circuit court session at Oshakati on April 27.On Thursday last week, the Judge sentenced Coetzee to 15 years’ imprisonment.Five years were suspended for five years on condition that Coetzee is not again convicted of a similar offence committed during the period of suspension.Coetzee (50) was accused of murdering 43-year-old Alfred Charles Ricketts at Ondangwa on February 18 2005.Coetzee also faced a charge in which he was accused of attempting to murder his wife, Juanita Marlene Coetzee, on the same day.The prosecution alleged that Coetzee knew Ricketts, as Ricketts was involved in a relationship with Coetzee’s wife.On the evening of February 17 2005, Mrs Coetzee arranged a small party at her and her husband’s home to celebrate her birthday, it is stated in the indictment that Coetzee faced.Ricketts was one of the guests.At about midnight, the party moved to Ricketts’s house, according to the indictment.It was there that Coetzee and Ricketts became involved in a quarrel which degenerated into a scuffle and ended with Coetzee pulling out a knife and stabbing Ricketts in his neck, it was charged.Ricketts died as a result of the stab wound.When Mrs Coetzee tried to help Ricketts, Coetzee turned the knife on her, stabbing her twice in the neck and once in the shoulder, the prosecution alleged further.The court heard that the stabbing took place after an all-night drinking session in which Ricketts and Mrs Coetzee celebrated her birthday with beer and red wine from the afternoon of February 17 to about 05h00 on February 18 2005.According to Coetzee, though, he did not consume any alcohol, as this was against his Christian principles.Coetzee claimed he had acted in self-defence after Ricketts had attacked him.He further claimed that his wife got stabbed accidentally during a struggle for the possession of the knife.Judge Muller did not accept this defence.When handing down the sentence, he noted that Coetzee was, at a relatively mature age, still a first offender who could in his opinion still be rehabilitated.Coetzee remained in Police custody from his arrest on the day after the incident until his trial was finalised.Deputy Prosecutor General Heidi Jacobs represented the State during the trial.Coetzee was represented by defence counsel Frieda Kishi.