Stabbing suspect pleads for acquittal

A MAN accused of stabbing a Keetmanshoop resident to death is to hear on Tuesday whether his bid for acquittal has succeeded.

Willem Swartbooi (51), who pleaded not guilty to a culpable homicide charge, allegedly stabbed Christof Gariseb in the chest with an Okapi pocketknife, killing him instantly. The stabbing happened at the Rosys Inn Bar at Keetmanshoop’s Tseiblaagte residential area on February 25 2005 .Defence lawyer Henry Van Zyl of Lentin, Bothma and Van den Heever yesterday asked Regional Magistrate Hosea Noabeb to find his client not guilty on a charge of culpable homicide.The case is being tried in the Keetmanshoop Regional Court.Van Zyl applied for the acquittal after Deputy Prosecutor General Jackson Kuutondokwa closed the State’s case against Swartbooi.Van Zyl argued that his client acted in self-defence after Gariseb cornered and attacked him with a broken bottle.Van Zyl said Swartbooi, who was stabbed in the arm with a broken bottle, was defending his life.Kuutondokwa contended that Swartbooi had exceeded the bounds of self-defence.Kuutondokwa argued that according to testimony given by two State witnesses, Boois was not cornered and had ample time to pull the knife from his pocket, open it and inflict the stab wound with force.Magistrate Noabeb postponed the case until July 31 to give judgement on the acquittal application.The stabbing happened at the Rosys Inn Bar at Keetmanshoop’s Tseiblaagte residential area on February 25 2005 .Defence lawyer Henry Van Zyl of Lentin, Bothma and Van den Heever yesterday asked Regional Magistrate Hosea Noabeb to find his client not guilty on a charge of culpable homicide.The case is being tried in the Keetmanshoop Regional Court.Van Zyl applied for the acquittal after Deputy Prosecutor General Jackson Kuutondokwa closed the State’s case against Swartbooi.Van Zyl argued that his client acted in self-defence after Gariseb cornered and attacked him with a broken bottle. Van Zyl said Swartbooi, who was stabbed in the arm with a broken bottle, was defending his life. Kuutondokwa contended that Swartbooi had exceeded the bounds of self-defence.Kuutondokwa argued that according to testimony given by two State witnesses, Boois was not cornered and had ample time to pull the knife from his pocket, open it and inflict the stab wound with force.Magistrate Noabeb postponed the case until July 31 to give judgement on the acquittal application.