Date set for trial on fatal knife attack at Katima

A CAPRIVI Region resident who has already spent more than three years in custody while awaiting trial on a charge that he murdered his former girlfriend heard in the High Court in Windhoek last week that his trial is finally scheduled to start early next year.

The trial of Morris Mazila Sibitwani (28) is set to begin on February 5 next year, Sibitwani was informed when he made a pre-trial appearance in the High Court last Wednesday. Sibitwani has remained in Police custody since his arrest shortly after his former girlfriend, Happy Mulela Kabajani (20), was stabbed to death on a street at Katima Mulilo more than three years ago.He is set to remain in custody until his trial starts, Sibitwani was also told last week.Kabajani died on April 19 2003.According to the indictment that Sibitwani will have to answer to, she was killed soon after she and Sibitwani had left her house together.She was stabbed about 10 times, and was left to bleed to death on one of the streets at Katima Mulilo.It is alleged that Sibitwani had wanted to stab Kabajani during a turbulent visit to her home the previous day.It is claimed that he had arrived at her house and demanded to talk to her, but she refused to see him.He then allegedly went into her bedroom and refused to leave again, and also tried to stab her with a kitchen knife.She managed to escape from the threatened attack and summoned help, it is also claimed, whereafter Sibitwani was allegedly disarmed and removed from the premises.The next morning, however, Sibitwani allegedly returned to Kabajani’s home and again demanded to talk to her.He then demanded that she should return photographs belonging to him, it is claimed.After the photos had been given to him, he and Kabajani left the house together, it is alleged.According to the indictment, Kabajani was supposed to go shopping with her mother.Instead of that, she would soon be dead – the latest in a long and ever growing line of Namibian women alleged to have been murdered by men they were romantically involved with.Sibitwani has remained in Police custody since his arrest shortly after his former girlfriend, Happy Mulela Kabajani (20), was stabbed to death on a street at Katima Mulilo more than three years ago.He is set to remain in custody until his trial starts, Sibitwani was also told last week.Kabajani died on April 19 2003.According to the indictment that Sibitwani will have to answer to, she was killed soon after she and Sibitwani had left her house together.She was stabbed about 10 times, and was left to bleed to death on one of the streets at Katima Mulilo.It is alleged that Sibitwani had wanted to stab Kabajani during a turbulent visit to her home the previous day.It is claimed that he had arrived at her house and demanded to talk to her, but she refused to see him.He then allegedly went into her bedroom and refused to leave again, and also tried to stab her with a kitchen knife.She managed to escape from the threatened attack and summoned help, it is also claimed, whereafter Sibitwani was allegedly disarmed and removed from the premises.The next morning, however, Sibitwani allegedly returned to Kabajani’s home and again demanded to talk to her.He then demanded that she should return photographs belonging to him, it is claimed.After the photos had been given to him, he and Kabajani left the house together, it is alleged.According to the indictment, Kabajani was supposed to go shopping with her mother.Instead of that, she would soon be dead – the latest in a long and ever growing line of Namibian women alleged to have been murdered by men they were romantically involved with.