Letters in murder trial detail a fatal attraction

A LETTER in which murder suspect Morris Mazila Sibitwani allegedly threatened to kill himself while expressing worry about the condition of a young woman he is alleged to have stabbed to death became part of the evidence in Sibitwani’s murder trial in the High Court in Windhoek last week.

Sibitwani’s trial, which started before Acting Judge Annel Silungwe last Monday, is scheduled to continue from June 26, after it had to be postponed on Friday after five days of proceedings. Sibitwani (28) faces a count of murder in connection with the death of his girlfriend, Happy Mulela Kabajani (20), at Katima Mulilo on April 19 2003.Kabajani was found lying dead along a footpath at Katima Mulilo that morning.She had numerous stab wounds over her body.She had left her mother’s house in Sibitwani’s company earlier that morning.The relationship between Kabajani and Sibitwani was going through a very rocky patch, according to testimony that Acting Judge Silungwe heard during the course of the trial last week.A relative of Sibitwani, Kenneth Matengu Sinvula, told Acting Judge Silungwe on Friday that Kabajani and two friends arrived at his house on the evening of April 18 2003 to ask him to help remove Sibitwani from her home.When he went with the women to Kabajani’s home, he found Sibitwani asleep on Kabajani’s bed.He and another man took Sibitwani outside, but Sibitwani told him that he could not go with him, because he still had a problem with Kabajani that he wanted to solve first, Matengu testified.After that, Matengu said, Sibitwani and Kabajani stood talking outside the house, before Sibitwani went back into the house.When he returned outside, he approached Kabajani, and then Matengu saw him reach to the back of his pants and lunge at Kabajani with a knife, Matengu said.She managed to evade the stabbing attempt, whereafter Matengu took a small kitchen knife away from him and escorted him away from Kabajani’s house, Matengu said.Another State witness, Linus Kamwi Kasokonya, a brother-in-law of Sibitwani, also told the court last week that he encountered Sibitwani coming from Kasokonya’s house on the morning of April 19 2003.After exchanging a few words, each went his own way.That evening, after he had heard the news that Kabajani had been found stabbed to death, he realised that a knife was missing from his house, Kasokonya said.He identified a knife that was submitted to the court as an exhibit as looking like the knife that went missing from his house.A Police detective, Warrant Officer Boniface Mainga Matongela, also told the court last week that this knife was found by the Police after Sibitwani had told the Police where he had thrown it way.Matongela further told the court about a letter found in a handbag that lay near Kabajani’s body, and about a second letter that he said was found in a trouser pocket of Sibitwani when he was arrested at a village some 50 kilometres south of Katima Mulilo on April 20 2003.The letter in the handbag is alleged to have been written by Kabajani, and was addressed to ‘Mazila’.”I think it is enough,” the letter starts.”I’m sorry to tell you this but there is nothing I can do.I can’t pretend to love you while I don’t love you any more,” it continues.Later on, the letter continues: “I just felt nothing for you at all that’s why I decided to stop the relationship since there was no progress in it.”You must forget everything we did and look forward to the new world.”The letter that is claimed to have been found with Sibitwani starts of with a heading, “My last words to you brother Mike”.”The problem has come and there is no ways to solve it,” the letter begins.”If the girl has died I will also kill myself, I loved the girl very much and I don’t see any reason off remaining here to suffer in prison for a long time.If the girl is still alive and there is a possibility for her to recover I can hand myself to the police or either disappear somewhere,” (sic) it is further stated in the letter, which is signed by ‘Mazila’.The writer asks the intended recipient to help take care of his baby boy, and then writes: “All what was supposed to be done is over, be strong enough in the family, don’t try to lose hope.I will stop here.I will wish I was going to marry that girl, I loved her and now everything has come to an end.”Sibitwani has been in custody since his arrest.He is set to remain in the same situation until his trial continues.He is being represented by Titus Mbaeva.Johan Pienaar is representing the State.Sibitwani (28) faces a count of murder in connection with the death of his girlfriend, Happy Mulela Kabajani (20), at Katima Mulilo on April 19 2003.Kabajani was found lying dead along a footpath at Katima Mulilo that morning.She had numerous stab wounds over her body.She had left her mother’s house in Sibitwani’s company earlier that morning.The relationship between Kabajani and Sibitwani was going through a very rocky patch, according to testimony that Acting Judge Silungwe heard during the course of the trial last week.A relative of Sibitwani, Kenneth Matengu Sinvula, told Acting Judge Silungwe on Friday that Kabajani and two friends arrived at his house on the evening of April 18 2003 to ask him to help remove Sibitwani from her home.When he went with the women to Kabajani’s home, he found Sibitwani asleep on Kabajani’s bed.He and another man took Sibitwani outside, but Sibitwani told him that he could not go with him, because he still had a problem with Kabajani that he wanted to solve first, Matengu testified.After that, Matengu said, Sibitwani and Kabajani stood talking outside the house, before Sibitwani went back into the house.When he returned outside, he approached Kabajani, and then Matengu saw him reach to the back of his pants and lunge at Kabajani with a knife, Matengu said.She managed to evade the stabbing attempt, whereafter Matengu took a small kitchen knife away from him and escorted him away from Kabajani’s house, Matengu said.Another State witness, Linus Kamwi Kasokonya, a brother-in-law of Sibitwani, also told the court last week that he encountered Sibitwani coming from Kasokonya’s house on the morning of April 19 2003.After exchanging a few words, each went his own way.That evening, after he had heard the news that Kabajani had been found stabbed to death, he realised that a knife was missing from his house, Kasokonya said.He identified a knife that was submitted to the court as an exhibit as looking like the knife that went missing from his house.A Police detective, Warrant Officer Boniface Mainga Matongela, also told the court last week that this knife was found by the Police after Sibitwani had told the Police where he had thrown it way.Matongela further told the court about a letter found in a handbag that lay near Kabajani’s body, and about a second letter that he said was found in a trouser pocket of Sibitwani when he was arrested at a village some 50 kilometres south of Katima Mulilo on April 20 2003.The letter in the handbag is alleged to have been written by Kabajani, and was addressed to ‘Mazila’.”I think it is enough,” the letter starts.”I’m sorry to tell you this but there is nothing I can do.I can’t pretend to love you while I don’t love you any more,” it continues.Later on, the letter continues: “I just felt nothing for you at all that’s why I decided to stop the relationship since there was no progress in it.”You must forget everything we did and look forward to the new world.”The letter that is claimed to have been found with Sibitwani starts of with a heading, “My last words to you brother Mike”.”The problem has come and there is no ways to solve it,” the letter begins.”If the girl has died I will also kill myself, I loved the girl very much and I don’t see any reason off remaining here to suffer in prison for a long time.If the girl is still alive and there is a possibility for her to recover I can hand myself to the police or either disappear somewhere,” (sic) it is further stated in the letter, which is signed by ‘Mazila’.The writer asks the intended recipient to help take care of his baby boy, and then writes: “All what was suppo
sed to be done is over, be strong enough in the family, don’t try to lose hope.I will stop here.I will wish I was going to marry that girl, I loved her and now everything has come to an end.”Sibitwani has been in custody since his arrest.He is set to remain in the same situation until his trial continues.He is being represented by Titus Mbaeva.Johan Pienaar is representing the State.