An Ohangwena region resident who admitted that he murdered his girlfriend with a knife five years ago has received an effective sentence of 26 years’ imprisonment at the end of his trial in the Oshakati High Court.
“By all accounts, this can only be described as a horrendous act of murder,” acting judge Marlene Tommasi said during the sentencing of Jeremia Fillipus (46) on Friday.
She added that she could only agree with the mother of Fillipus’ victim, Mallena Paulus (24), who told the court the killing of her daughter was like the slaughter of an animal.
“The murderous rage of the accused is evident from the nature of the injuries described in the post-mortem report and the photographs of the deceased taken that same evening,” Tommasi said.
She remarked that Paulus “was like a lamb slaughtered, young, vulnerable and defenceless”, and that Fillipus “in his anger and pathological jealousy showed no mercy and no restraint”.
Fillipus admitted guilt on a charge of murder, read with the provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act, and was also convicted on a count of assault by threat, on which he denied guilt.
Fillipus admitted that he killed Paulus, who was his girlfriend, at Enyana, a village in the Eenhana district of the Ohangwena region, during the evening of 13 August 2021.
Tommasi found him guilty of assault by threat, as well as a result of a threat that he made to Paulus’ 11-year-old sister when she tried to intervene after he had launched an attack on Paulus.
In a statement given to the court, Fillipus said Paulus had been his girlfriend for about five months. At the same time, he was also in a traditional marriage with another woman.
According to Fillipus, Paulus was the initial aggressor and tried to stab him with a knife during an argument in which she accused him of having a relationship with another woman.
Fillipus said he wrestled the knife away from Paulus, became angry and stabbed her four times.
However, the court also heard that Fillipus arrived at Paulus’ home in an angry mood on the evening of 13 August 2021, and that he was looking for clothes he had bought for her.
Fillipus began to assault Paulus by slapping, kicking and stabbing her. When she fell to the ground during the attack, he went to sit on top of her and cut her throat with the knife with which he was armed.
Paulus bled to death due to a gaping cut wound to her neck.
Fillipus was heard to say he was tired of Paulus bringing other men to her house, Tommasi recounted during the sentencing.
She also recorded that the court was told that Fillipus made sure Paulus was dead by returning to where she lay and cutting her neck again.
The court was informed that Fillipus is the father of eight children, whom he was supporting before he was placed in custody on his arrest following the killing.
Paulus was the mother of a two-year-old child at the time of her death.
Tommasi noted that domestic violence remains prevalent in Namibia.
“This court is still determined to root out the evil of domestic violence and violence against women, and the sentence imposed herein gives effect to its duty to protect vulnerable victims of domestic violence,” she stated.
Tommasi sentenced Fillipus to 26 years’ imprisonment on the charge of murder, and to a concurrent jail term of six months on the count of assault by threat.
Fillipus was represented by defence lawyer Aina Nangolo.
State advocate Victoria Shigwedha represented the prosecution.
