An Omaheke region resident convicted of kidnapping, raping and murdering a woman five years ago has received an effective prison term of 37 and a half years at the end of his trial in the Windhoek High Court.
Abel Mokalabatho (29) committed “horrendous crimes” which are prevalent in Namibia, judge Naomi Shivute said on Tuesday, before sentencing Mokalabatho to 20 years’ imprisonment on a charge of murder, jail terms of 15 years each on three counts of rape, a two-year prison term on a charge of kidnapping, and six months’ imprisonment on a count of attempting to defeat or obstruct the course of justice.
Two of the sentences on the rape charges should run concurrently with the sentence on the first count of rape, Shivute ordered.
This leaves Mokalabatho with an effective prison term of 37 and a half years.
Mokalabatho was found guilty on the six charges in mid-May.
He was accused of kidnapping, raping and murdering Anna Geinamses (28) at Drimiopsis in the Gobabis district on 1 to 2 August 2020.
The state alleged that Mokalabatho raped Geinamses at a shebeen at Drimiopsis during the evening of 1 August 2020, kidnapped her from that scene, took her to his bedroom, again raped her twice, and killed her the next morning by stabbing her in the neck and fastening a piece of wire around her neck.
In a plea explanation at the start of his trial, Mokalabatho claimed Geinamses stabbed herself in the neck with a knife during a quarrel between them.
He also said he panicked after Geinamses died, and he then decided to place her body in a drain on the premises where he stayed.
He further admitted that he told police officers investigating the disappearance of Geinamses that she had gone to a farm with an unknown man.
Geinamses was missing for about two and a half weeks before her body was found in the drain where Mokalabatho had dumped it.
After being arrested, Mokalabatho made a confession to a magistrate at Gobabis, admitted guilt during an appearance in the Gobabis Magistrate’s Court and pointed out scenes connected to his alleged crimes to the police.
In his confession, Mokalabatho said he had intercourse with Geinamses after he had followed her into a toilet, where he twisted her arm and forced himself on her.
After that, he forced Geinamses to go with him to his room, where he again had intercourse with her, he told the magistrate who recorded his confession.
He also told the magistrate that he first stabbed her with a knife and then fetched a piece of wire, which he fastened around her neck, when Geinamses threatened to report the events to her mother the next morning.
He also recalled that he dumped Geinamses’ body in a drain at his mother’s house.
Geinamses “was subjected to cruel and unimaginable horror by the accused”, Shivute said during the sentencing. “Her fundamental rights to life, dignity and privacy were seriously violated.”
Mokalabatho was employed as a farmworker before he committed the crimes, the court was informed.
Geinamses was employed as a domestic worker.
Mokalabatho was held in custody for about five years before the conclusion of his trial.
State advocate Ethel Ndlovu represented the prosecution during the trial.
Defence lawyer Mbanga Siyomunji represented Mokalabatho.
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