Lawyer objects over Schiefer confession

A CONFESSION that double murder suspect Romeo Schiefer made after his parents were killed in January 2008 was the result of undue influence and pressure from Police officers, Schiefer’s defence lawyer claimed in the High Court in Windhoek last week.

Defence counsel Winnie Christians told Judge Naomi Shivute on Thursday that he would object to any confession by Schiefer being introduced as evidence in Schiefer’s trial.Telling the court on what grounds he was objecting to the confession being used as evidence by State advocate Belinda Wantenaar, Christians said: ‘According to him he was pressurised by the Police by the way they questioned him into making this confession and certain admissions.’Christians said Schiefer was questioned over a long period of time – primarily from about 09h00 to 16h00 on January 19 2008 – and was also unduly influenced to make a confession by being promised certain benefits if he confessed to the murder of his parents.In addition to that, Schiefer was not properly informed of his rights to remain silent and to have legal representation, and was instead advised by a Police officer that it would not be necessary for him to get assistance from a lawyer, Christians charged.A trial within a trial to decide if the confession is admissible as evidence is expected to take place later during Schiefer’s trial.Schiefer, who turned 22 years of age in prison on Sunday, is denying guilt on two counts of murder and a charge of robbery with aggravating circumstances.He is on trial over the murder of his parents, Frans and Francina Schiefer, both aged 50, in their house in Khomasdal in Windhoek on the evening of January 18 2008. Mr Schiefer was killed with a single gunshot to the head, while Mrs Schiefer was shot at least nine times and also stabbed with a knife or knives.The former commanding officer of the Police’s Serious Crime Unit, Michael Unandapo, started testifying in the trial after Christians had placed his objections to the confession on the record.Unandapo told the court he became suspicious about Schiefer’s possible involvement in the double murder after Schiefer’s brother had told him that a pair of shorts that lay in one of the bedrooms of the couple’s house belonged to Schiefer. Apparent blood spots were found on the shorts.Unandapo said he warned Schiefer of his rights, including the rights to remain silent and to have legal representation or apply for legal aid, when he first picked Schiefer up at relatives’ house in order to question him on the morning after the slayings.Unandapo said during an interrogation in his office Schiefer told him the apparent blood spots on his shorts came from meat that he had been cutting.The court heard earlier in the trial that tests done at the National Forensic Science Institute of Namibia indicated the presence of human blood on the shorts.Unandapo also testified that later in the interrogation Schiefer visited a toilet. When he returned to Unandapo’s office, he said he wanted to speak to Unandapo alone, the former Chief Inspector said.After he had asked everybody else in the officer to leave, Unandapo said, Schiefer gave him information about the case that was being investigated.Unandapo said he had again warned Schiefer of his rights before this information was communicated to him.He then contacted a superior officer, the then Deputy Commissioner Marius Visser, who made arrangements that later resulted in another Police officer, Chief Inspector Gerrit Viljoen, taking down a confession from Schiefer, Unandapo related.Unandapo completed his testimony on Friday. The trial is scheduled to continue today.

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