A lawyer instructed to represent a man accused of causing a security breach at State House in Windhoek nearly four months ago says he will be taking time to consider a report on his client’s mental condition.
Defence lawyer Milton Engelbrecht informed magistrate Olga Muharukua in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court yesterday that he wants to apply his mind to the report compiled after his client, Giano Seibeb, underwent a period of psychiatric evaluation, and would not give his views on the report at this stage.
Engelbrecht conveyed this to the magistrate during a court appearance by Seibeb (29), who is being held in custody following his arrest at State House in the Auasblick area of Windhoek on 30 April.
Engelbrecht said it had been agreed with the state to have Seibeb’s case postponed to 4 September.
Seibeb is alleged to have been found naked in a guest house at the State House premises on 30 April.
He is also alleged to have broken into the house of a senior police officer in Windhoek on 21 April.
Seibeb has been charged with counts of trespassing, housebreaking with intent to commit a crime unknown to the state, and indecent exposure, which is a contravention of a section of the Combating of Immoral Practices Act of 1980.
Seibeb was referred for psychiatric observation when he made a first court appearance on 5 May.
In a psychiatric evaluation report completed in June, psychiatrist Dr Nelao Mhata said a panel of medical professionals concluded that Seibeb is not fit to stand trial and cannot be held accountable for his actions.
Mhata diagnosed Seibeb as having schizophrenia and a substance use disorder.
She stated Seibeb “is not fit to stand trial, he cannot follow and understand the court proceedings, and cannot make a proper defence”.
She recorded in the report that Seibeb has been known at the psychiatry department of Windhoek Central Hospital as a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia since April 2022.
Seibeb absconded from the hospital’s mental health ward on 30 April by climbing over a courtyard wall, and then made his way to State House, Mhata recounted in her report.
During his period of psychiatric evaluation following his arrest, Seibeb said he had walked all the way from Lesotho on the day he went to State House, that he jumped over a fence at the presidential property, and that he went to the second floor of a building, where he saw the president’s face, Mhata recorded.
“He does not remember where people found him, he just saw them coming, saying they will beat him up,” Mhata stated.
“He also says he was naked at that time. He undressed himself because he was waiting for a woman. During that time, he was hearing a voice, telling him he is the president, and that he must go to the president’s house because they are waiting for him to become the president,” she reported as well.
