Suspect accused of killing parents found fit for trial

YOUTHFUL double murder suspect Romeo Schiefer, who is accused of killing his parents in their home in Khomasdal a year ago, has been certified sane and fit to stand trial by a State psychiatrist.

A report signed by State psychiatrist Ndahambelela Mthoko, who took part in a month-long period of psychiatric observation of Schiefer (19) during November and December last year, was provided to the High Court yesterday when Schiefer made another pre-trial appearance in that court.
The conclusions of Dr Mthoko’s report, which Deputy Prosecutor General Antonia Verhoef read to Acting Judge John Manyarara, are that Schiefer is not mentally ill, that he is fit to stand trial and able to follow court proceedings adequately, and that he was also not suffering from a mental abnormality at the time of his alleged crimes.
“There is no evidence to suggest that he was suffering from a mental illness or defect at the time of commission of the alleged crime. He was able to appreciate the wrongfulness of the alleged offence and act in accordance with such appreciation,” Dr Mthoko reported. She recommended that Schiefer should go through a normal trial process.
Schiefer is accused of having murdered his parents, Frans and Francina Schiefer, who were both 50 years old, in their home in Khomasdal on January 18 last year.
He denied the charges against him when he gave a plea in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on February 29 last year.
Defence lawyer Jan Wessels, who is representing Schiefer, asked that he be sent for psychiatric observation when Schiefer made a previous pre-trial appearance in the High Court on September 18 last year.
With two psychiatrists supposed to have observed Schiefer, a report from the second psychiatrist is still being awaited, Verhoef told Acting Judge Manyarara.
As a result, Schiefer’s case was again postponed. He has to appear again in the High Court on February 19.
Schiefer has remained in custody since being arrested on the day after his parents had been killed. Wessels told the court yesterday that he had instructions from his client to apply for bail. Arrangements for a bail hearing would be made with the prosecution, Wessels said.
Schiefer has already had a bail application heard in the Magistrate’s Court. That hearing in May last year ended with his request to be released on bail being refused.
In the indictment against Schiefer in the High Court, he is charged with two counts of murder and a count of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
It is alleged that during the evening of January 18, an argument erupted between Schiefer and one or both of his parents. He allegedly then stabbed his mother with a knife in the head and neck, took a firearm belonging to his father and shot his father in the head, and shot his mother at least nine times in the head, neck and body.
He then stole his mother’s credit card and a document with the card’s PIN code, it is charged.
Mr Schiefer was found dead in the couple’s bed. Mrs Schiefer was found dead in the kitchen of the house.
It was reported shortly after the incident that neighbours of the murdered couple had told the Police that they had heard a commotion at the couple’s house around the time that the killings were thought to have taken place.
The first anniversary of the couple’s murder was marked at the end of last week with the publication of a newspaper memorial notice in the name of their three sons – including the charged Schiefer – in which their parents’ death was mourned.
– werner@namibian.com.na