A Mariental resident accused of killing his son nearly four years ago was heard saying the devil should be beaten out of him, a witness has testified in the Windhoek High Court.
Sanna Garises, one of the state witnesses in the murder trial of Hendrik le Roux (60) and his son Borris le Roux (30), told judge Philanda Christiaan last week that she heard screams and the sounds of a beating coming from the two accused men’s home next to her house in the early morning hours of 9 April 2021.
Garises, who is a retired teacher, said she heard Hendrik le Roux saying “beat the devil out of him”.
Sounds like that made when someone is hit with a sjambok or belt came from the house next door, Gariseb also testified.
She said she made a phone call to the police and told them someone was being beaten to death at the Le Rouxs’ house, but the police did not react to her call.
Borris and Hendrik le Roux denied guilt on charges of murder and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, both read with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act, at the start of their trial last week.
The state is alleging that the two accused killed Borris le Roux’s younger brother, Carlos le Roux (23), at their home in the Takarania area of Mariental on 9 April 2021 by beating him with broom sticks, plastic pipes, steel pipes or other, unknown objects, and also kicking him.
Carlos died as a result of a head injury.
According to the state, Carlos was receiving a government disability grant as he was unfit to work because of mental illness and substance abuse.
The state is also alleging in its indictment that Carlos had a history of damaging the belongings of his father and brother, and that a criminal case was opened against him in December 2017 after he had allegedly set fire to his father’s property.
Hendrik withdrew that charge against Carlos in January 2018, though.
Carlos’ behavioural problems continued after that, and his father later held the opinion that neither the police nor social workers at Mariental could help or wanted to help him with his son’s problems, the state alleges in its indictment as well. Between January and April 2021, Carlos was assaulted by his brother and father when they hit him in the head with a piece of wood, it is alleged in the assault charge faced by the two accused.
The state further alleges that on 8 April 2021 Carlos broke four window panes of his father’s house by throwing stones at the windows.
Garises testified on Wednesday and Thursday that she heard a vehicle stopping at the Le Rouxs’ house at about 02h30 on 9 April 2021. She said her granddaughter told her it was a police vehicle that had dropped Carlos off.
Shortly after that, she heard Hendrik asking Carlos why he had entered their yard through a back gate instead of the front gate, and a few seconds later she heard screams coming from the house next door, Garises said.
The screams and sounds of a beating continued until close to 04h00, the court also heard.
A colleague of Hendrik, Stephanus Hochobeb, testified on Thursday that he received a phone call from Hendrik at about 06h55 on 9 April 2021.
Hochobeb said Hendrik told him he had a problem with his son, as he had beaten the son seriously and was going to take him to a clinic.
According to a police officer, sergeant Natangwe Kalumbu, Hendrik reported to him at Mariental Police station that morning that he and his son had a fight with his other son, Carlos, and that Carlos appeared to be dead. The trial is scheduled to continue from 9 June.
Both accused are represented by defence lawyer Peru Liebenberg and are free on bail.
State advocate Ethel Ndlovu is prosecuting.
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