Guns found with Outjo farm murder accused

A MAN accused of having robbed and murdered an Outjo area farmer in September 2017 had two firearms in his possession when he was stopped at a police roadblock hours after the fatal attack, a police officer testified in the Windhoek High Court on Wednesday.

It was when he carried out a body search on Johannes Katanga at a roadblock between Outjo and Khorixas during the afternoon of 25 September 2017 that he found a revolver and a pistol tucked into the waistband of the jean trousers Katanga was wearing, warrant officer Fillemon Haikali told acting judge Orben Sibeya while testifying as a prosecution witness in Katanga’s trial.

Haikali said he did the body search on Katanga after a fellow police officer reported to him that Katanga, who had arrived at the roadblock in a bakkie, looked suspicious.

He said he carried out the search without having informed Katanga of the reason for it, as he was apprehensive that Katanga might be armed and might shoot him if warned beforehand.

Having found the firearms, he informed Katanga that he had the right to contact a lawyer and to remain silent, and that anything he said could be used as evidence in a court, Haikali said. Having heard the warning, Katanga started to cry, he said.

Haikali also told the court that he found an amount of N$1 713, a cellphone, a SIM card, 11 live rounds of ammunition and 95 South African rand in coins in Katanga’s possession.

He further said Katanga told him he did not have documentation for the two guns, and that the firearms did not belong to him.

Katanga is standing trial on a charge of murder, a count of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and a charge of attempted robbery with aggravating circumstances. He denied guilt on all four charges on Monday.

The state is alleging that Katanga (32) attacked and robbed a 70-year-old farmer, Karl-Heinz Kossmann, at his farm, Aasvoëlkrans, situated between Outjo and Khorixas, on 25 September 2017.

Kossmann was allegedly struck with a wooden fencing pole and shot in the leg during the attack, which took place twelve days after Katanga had been employed by Kossmann as a farmworker.

Kossmann was fatally injured in the attack.

The prosecution is further alleging that Katanga stole a revolver, a pistol, a cellphone and SIM card, N$1 737 in cash and 95 South African rand from Kossmann when he robbed the farmer.

Haikali testified that Katanga was taken to the Outjo Police Station after the guns, money and cellphone had been found in his possession at the roadblock.

Defence lawyer Kenneth Siambango told Haikali that according to Katanga he did not have a cellphone and SIM card with him at the roadblock, and only an amount of N$1 700, which belonged to him, was found when he was searched at the police station.

Haikali insisted, though, that he found the money and other items with Katanga at the roadblock.

The trial is continuing.

State advocate Tangeni Iitula is prosecuting.

Katanga is being kept in custody.

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