Da Silva murder trial wraps up

MURDER suspect Manuel Alberto da Silva, who is accused of killing his girlfriend in Windhoek on New Year’s Eve 2003 by shooting her five times in the head, should be found guilty of murder with a direct intent to kill, a State Prosecutor argued in Da Silva’s trial in the High Court in Windhoek yesterday.

Da Silva (30) is on trial before Judge Collins Parker in connection with the death of his girlfriend, Monaliza Shirley de Kock (23), on the grounds of Ella Du Plessis High School in Windhoek on the evening of December 31 2003. De Kock was shot five times in the head, according to the post-mortem report.In his final arguments before Judge Parker will be delivering his judgement on the charges against Da Silva, Public Prosecutor Dominic Lisulo argued yesterday that according to evidence from State witnesses, Da Silva was the only person seen in the company of De Kock a few hours before she was killed.Lisulo asked the court to dismiss Da Silva’s claims that he could not remember anything about the actual shooting as he had a memory loss around the event, as lies and pure fabrication.”The court must find him guilty of murder with direct intent to kill because the shooting was mainly directed at the head of the deceased person.The nature of the injuries and death as contained in the report of the post-mortem examination were not disputed at all.Therefore he must be held responsible for the killing and must be found guilty of murder with direct intent to kill,” said Lisulo as he wrapped up his submissions.Da Silva’s defence lawyer, Ivo Dos Santos, is set to present his counter-arguments to Judge Parker today.Da Silva has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge against him.He also denied a second count of robbery with aggravating circumstances in which he was accused of stealing the alleged murder weapon, a .22 revolver, from a security guard at Rundu during a robbery on December 6 2003.Due to a lack of evidence to connect Da Silva to that alleged robbery, Judge Parker had already acquitted him on that charge at the close of the prosecution’s case in the trial.Da Silva has however admitted guilt on counts of having been illegally in possession of the firearm and ammunition when he was arrested at a Police roadblock close to Rundu on the day after De Kock had been killed in Windhoek.Da Silva remains in Police custody at the Windhoek Central Prison.NampaDe Kock was shot five times in the head, according to the post-mortem report.In his final arguments before Judge Parker will be delivering his judgement on the charges against Da Silva, Public Prosecutor Dominic Lisulo argued yesterday that according to evidence from State witnesses, Da Silva was the only person seen in the company of De Kock a few hours before she was killed.Lisulo asked the court to dismiss Da Silva’s claims that he could not remember anything about the actual shooting as he had a memory loss around the event, as lies and pure fabrication.”The court must find him guilty of murder with direct intent to kill because the shooting was mainly directed at the head of the deceased person.The nature of the injuries and death as contained in the report of the post-mortem examination were not disputed at all.Therefore he must be held responsible for the killing and must be found guilty of murder with direct intent to kill,” said Lisulo as he wrapped up his submissions.Da Silva’s defence lawyer, Ivo Dos Santos, is set to present his counter-arguments to Judge Parker today.Da Silva has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge against him.He also denied a second count of robbery with aggravating circumstances in which he was accused of stealing the alleged murder weapon, a .22 revolver, from a security guard at Rundu during a robbery on December 6 2003.Due to a lack of evidence to connect Da Silva to that alleged robbery, Judge Parker had already acquitted him on that charge at the close of the prosecution’s case in the trial.Da Silva has however admitted guilt on counts of having been illegally in possession of the firearm and ammunition when he was arrested at a Police roadblock close to Rundu on the day after De Kock had been killed in Windhoek.Da Silva remains in Police custody at the Windhoek Central Prison.Nampa