Murder or suicide? Suspect at heart of riddle denies guilt

A MANAGER at a Grootfontein furniture shop who is accused of murdering a friend by shooting him in the head on October 2002, on Tuesday pleaded not guilty in the town’s Magistrate’s Court.

Grootfontein attorney Izak Hohne, who represented murder suspect Dewald Ludeke (28) during his brief appearance, offered no explanation for his client’s ‘not guilty’ plea. Ludeke is charged with murder, alternatively failing to safeguard a firearm or handling a firearm while intoxicated, following a late-night shooting incident in his flat.The incident left a colleague and friend of his, Elmar Kotze (27), dead with a gunshot wound to the head on October 2 2002.It is understood that Ludeke told the Police that Kotze had allegedly shot himself with a pistol that belonged to Ludeke.Hohne has told The Namibian that his instructions from his client were that Kotze’s death had been a suicide.Kotze’s family have, however, refused to believe that he would have killed himself.Sources have claimed that the Police investigation, which was taken over by Chief Inspector Nelius Becker of the Serious Crime Unit in August, has produced some puzzling results that could indicate that the gunshot wound was not self-inflicted.A Police spokesperson, Sergeant James Matengu, said on Tuesday that the Police would not release details of the investigation at a stage when the matter was still pending before the court.However, sources have claimed that among the puzzling aspects of the case were the awkward nature of the gunshot wound to Kotze’s head and the results from tests on his hands.Kotze is claimed to have been shot high on the right side of his forehead – said to be an unusual place for a supposed suicide victim to shoot himself.It has also been claimed that tests done on Kotze’s hands found no traces of gunpowder residue, which would have been expected if he was holding the gun when he was shot.Kotze had been buried for about 10 months before Becker took over the investigation.His body was exhumed in August so that samples could be taken for further forensic tests.Ludeke was arrested within a week of Kotze’s death.He has been free on bail since his first court appearance and was told on Tuesday that he had to appear in court again on April 26.His case has been postponed till then so that the Prosecutor General can decide on whether he will be put on trial, and if so, on what charges and in which court.Ludeke is charged with murder, alternatively failing to safeguard a firearm or handling a firearm while intoxicated, following a late-night shooting incident in his flat. The incident left a colleague and friend of his, Elmar Kotze (27), dead with a gunshot wound to the head on October 2 2002. It is understood that Ludeke told the Police that Kotze had allegedly shot himself with a pistol that belonged to Ludeke. Hohne has told The Namibian that his instructions from his client were that Kotze’s death had been a suicide. Kotze’s family have, however, refused to believe that he would have killed himself. Sources have claimed that the Police investigation, which was taken over by Chief Inspector Nelius Becker of the Serious Crime Unit in August, has produced some puzzling results that could indicate that the gunshot wound was not self-inflicted. A Police spokesperson, Sergeant James Matengu, said on Tuesday that the Police would not release details of the investigation at a stage when the matter was still pending before the court. However, sources have claimed that among the puzzling aspects of the case were the awkward nature of the gunshot wound to Kotze’s head and the results from tests on his hands. Kotze is claimed to have been shot high on the right side of his forehead – said to be an unusual place for a supposed suicide victim to shoot himself. It has also been claimed that tests done on Kotze’s hands found no traces of gunpowder residue, which would have been expected if he was holding the gun when he was shot. Kotze had been buried for about 10 months before Becker took over the investigation. His body was exhumed in August so that samples could be taken for further forensic tests. Ludeke was arrested within a week of Kotze’s death. He has been free on bail since his first court appearance and was told on Tuesday that he had to appear in court again on April 26. His case has been postponed till then so that the Prosecutor General can decide on whether he will be put on trial, and if so, on what charges and in which court.