Murder trial: farmworker admits killing boss, court hears details

An Omaheke region farmworker admitted in the Windhoek High Court yesterday that he murdered and robbed his employer in the Tallismanus area in September 2022.

Rodney Hoxobeb (28) pleaded guilty to counts of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, negligent driving and driving without a licence at the start of his trial before judge Philanda Christiaan.

Hoxobeb admitted that he murdered his then employer, Christof Mungunda (65), in the Tallismanus area north-east of Gobabis on 16 September 2022 by hitting Mungunda repeatedly with an axe handle.

He also admitted that he robbed Mungunda by stealing a Toyota Hilux pickup and a variety of items – including a cellphone, a toolbox, power tools, two three-legged pots, bedding, clothes, a box containing 12 bottles of red wine and food – from him.

Hoxobeb further admitted that he drove the stolen pickup without having a driving licence, and that he drove the vehicle negligently.

He denied guilt on two additional charges: a count of attempted murder and a count of driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor.

State advocate Ian Malumani, representing the prosecution, told the judge the state is not accepting Hoxobeb’s guilty plea on the charge of murder and a count of reckless or negligent driving.

The reason for that stance is that the state is alleging that Mungunda was killed when he was attacked with an axe handle and a large stone was thrown onto his head, and is also alleging that Hoxobeb drove the pickup he had stolen recklessly, and not only negligently, Malumani said.

The state is alleging that after he had murdered Mungunda, Hoxobeb stole Mungunda’s pickup and items belonging to him and drove to Gobabis. As he left the scene of his crimes, he allegedly tried to run over a fellow farmworker.

On the way to Gobabis, Hoxobeb consumed alcohol, became intoxicated and proceeded to drive while under the influence of alcohol, the state is alleging as well.

In a plea statement signed by Hoxobeb, he says he was employed by Mungunda as a farmworker.

On 16 September 2022, Hoxobeb says, he went to Mungunda to ask for food, as he did not have food at his house, but Mungunda refused to help him.

Later that day, Mungunda called him and asked him if he wanted to work or not, Hoxobeb says in his plea statement.

He states: “I informed Mr Mungunda that I cannot work on an empty stomach and if he does not want to provide me with food, he should take me back to Gobabis and I felt that Mr Mungunda was mistreating me.

“At this stage, Mr Mungunda insulted me and instructed me to leave his yard. I also insulted him back and Mr Mungunda slapped me on my face with an open hand and thereafter, I turned and went back to my shack.”

In his statement, Hoxobeb also recounts that he was angry when he returned to his shack, because Mungunda had brought him to Mungunda’s farm, but could not provide food to him and assaulted him.

When he saw Mungunda going to switch off a generator that night, he took an axe handle and confronted Mungunda, Hoxobeb says.

“I hit Mr Mungunda on his head and neck with an axe handle several times until he collapsed,” he says in the statement.

Hoxobeb admitted that he knew he could cause Mungunda’s death by attacking him with the axe handle and that he proceeded with the attack nevertheless.

The state is alleging that Hoxobeb threw a stone weighing 59 kilograms onto Mungunda’s head when he realised that Mungunda was still alive after the attack with the axe handle.

The trial is scheduled to continue on Friday.

Hoxobeb is being held in custody.

He is being represented by defence lawyer Joseph Andreas.

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