THE trial of three men charged with murdering an elderly farming couple in the //Kharas region in February 2018 is due to continue in the Windhoek High Court in March next year.
Judge Dinnah Usiku on Wednesday postponed the trial of Julius Arndt (44), Andries Afrikaner (40) and Johannes Christiaan (40) to the week of 28 March to 1 April 2022. Further dates reserved for the trial to continue are during the week of 19 to 22 April.
The postponement follows on the withdrawal of defence lawyer Linus Samaria, who represented Afrikaner, from the trial last week. The Directorate of Legal Aid has in the meantime instructed lawyer Titus Ipumbu to represent Afrikaner when the trial resumes.
The three men are accused of murdering and robbing farming couple Giel and Sarie Botma after breaking into their house near Koës during the night of 2 to 3 February 2018.
Giel Botma (78) was killed when he was shot with a .22 rifle and assaulted. The state is alleging that Sarie Botma (80) was raped and then killed by being strangled with a shoelace.
Arndt was arrested at Aranos on the day after the double murder. He had a pickup belonging to Giel Botma, a .22 rifle and items that belonged to the murdered couple in his possession.
Afrikaner and Christiaan were also arrested on the day after the incident.
All three of the accused men made self-incriminating statements to a magistrate at Keetmanshoop following their arrest.
In the statements, each of them admitted they had been at the Botmas’ farm during the night when the couple was killed.
However, while Arndt and Frederick further admitted that they had burgled the couple’s house and implicated each other in connection with the killing of the Botmas, Christiaan claimed he did not enter the farmhouse and that he had left the scene after he had seen his two co-accused go into the house.
Arndt stated that he and his co-accused had gone to the farm to steal money, and that during the time they had been at the farm he had found Afrikaner with a .22 rifle in the house. He also said Afrikaner had told him he had killed the Botmas.
According to Afrikaner, though, he was outside the house while Arndt was inside, and he heard the sound of two gunshots coming from the house.
Afrikaner also said after he had gone into the house he had seen Giel Botma lying on a floor inside, and that he had found Arndt in a room where he was strangling Sarie Botma with a black rope.
Arndt and Afrikaner are being held in custody. Christiaan remains free on bail.
