Fatal arson attack trial to resume next year

THE trial of murder suspect Efraim Rachimo Haradoëb, who is accused of killing his girlfriend by setting her on fire at Gibeon in Nov-ember 1998, is set to resume in the High Court after a six-year hiatus in February next year.

Yesterday, Haradoëb (34) appeared before Judge Mavis Gibson for the second time in six days, to be informed that his trial was scheduled to continue from February 6 to 11 next year. By then, just over six years will have passed since the last proceedings in his trial had taken place.In the intervening years, Haradoëb had been a fugitive from justice in Namibia, having escaped from the Windhoek Police Station on February 1 2000.Haradoëb managed to leave the country after his escape, and returned to Namibia only late last month.He was deported from South Africa, where he had reportedly been arrested on charges that he had stolen from a succession of alleged girlfriends he was involved with in that country.Haradoëb is set to remain in custody until his trial resumes, Judge Gibson told him yesterday.She also told him that he would have ample time to sort out his legal representation before the trial continues.His former legal representative withdrew on the day after his escape, which was when the trial had been supposed to continue some five years and five months ago.Public Prosecutor Leonie Dunn informed Judge Gibson yesterday that the legal aid that had been granted to Haradoëb at that stage had not been revoked, but that the Legal Aid Directorate had indicated that it would have to review his situation because he had given “false and misleading instructions” to the lawyer who previously represented him.Haradoëb had already testified in his own defence by the time that he escaped.He denied a charge that he had murdered his then girlfriend, Regina Kastoor, by dousing her with petrol at Gibeon on November 16 1998, and then setting her on fire.The 23-year-old Kastoor, who was a teacher at Gibeon, died in a hospital in Windhoek 10 days later.By then, just over six years will have passed since the last proceedings in his trial had taken place.In the intervening years, Haradoëb had been a fugitive from justice in Namibia, having escaped from the Windhoek Police Station on February 1 2000.Haradoëb managed to leave the country after his escape, and returned to Namibia only late last month.He was deported from South Africa, where he had reportedly been arrested on charges that he had stolen from a succession of alleged girlfriends he was involved with in that country.Haradoëb is set to remain in custody until his trial resumes, Judge Gibson told him yesterday.She also told him that he would have ample time to sort out his legal representation before the trial continues.His former legal representative withdrew on the day after his escape, which was when the trial had been supposed to continue some five years and five months ago.Public Prosecutor Leonie Dunn informed Judge Gibson yesterday that the legal aid that had been granted to Haradoëb at that stage had not been revoked, but that the Legal Aid Directorate had indicated that it would have to review his situation because he had given “false and misleading instructions” to the lawyer who previously represented him.Haradoëb had already testified in his own defence by the time that he escaped.He denied a charge that he had murdered his then girlfriend, Regina Kastoor, by dousing her with petrol at Gibeon on November 16 1998, and then setting her on fire.The 23-year-old Kastoor, who was a teacher at Gibeon, died in a hospital in Windhoek 10 days later.