Schiefer trial to resume June 2012

EIGHT more months in custody await double murder suspect Romeo Schiefer before his trial is scheduled to continue in the High Court in Windhoek.

Schiefer’s trial is due to resume before Judge Naomi Shivute from June 4 to 22 next year, Schiefer was told when he made a return to the dock in the High Court on Thursday last week.In the meantime, he remains in custody.By the time that his trial continues he will have spent more than four years and four months in custody.Schiefer (22) is accused of murdering his parents, Frans and Francina Schiefer (both aged 50), in their home in Khomasdal, Windhoek, on January 18 2008. He is also accused of robbing them.Mr Schiefer was killed in his bed with a single gunshot to the head. Mrs Schiefer was found lying dead on the floor in the couple’s bedroom. She had been stabbed, and had also been shot at least nine times.The prosecution is alleging that Schiefer, who was 18 years and ten months old at the time of the incident, committed the murders after he had an argument with one or both of his parents.The trial started on March 2 this year, when Schiefer pleaded not guilty to all three charges. The trial continued up to April 6, by when the court was hearing evidence in a trial within a trial to determine whether an alleged confession which Schiefer made to a Police officer would be admissible as evidence.Judge Shivute ruled on August 10 that the confession can become part of the evidence in the trial.The confession must still be formally handed in as evidence.Schiefer has however been confronted with its contents when he applied to be released on bail in May 2008. During those proceedings the presiding magistrate heard that Schiefer told the Police officer that on the evening of the incident his mother was scolding him over his bad school results, and accusing him of not wanting to learn and of wasting her money.’That triggered me and I decided that this is enough,’ Schiefer stated, before relating that he then fetched a knife from a drawer and started stabbing his mother with it.After that he went to the room where his father was sleeping and, while crying, he shot him, the statement reads.Schiefer is represented by defence lawyer Winnie Christians. Deputy Prosecutor General Belinda Wantenaar is prosecuting.

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