Suspect appears over triple murder at Outjo

THE suspect accused of murdering three people – including two small children – in a deadly rampage at Outjo on Monday is set to remain in Police custody after making a first court appearance yesterday.

Ernestus Aibeb (39) appeared in the Outjo Magistrate’s Court on three counts of murder and additional charges of attempted murder and arson. Public Prosecutor Petra Mwilima asked for Aibeb’s case to be postponed to July 13, and Magistrate Stanley Tembwe ordered that Aibeb should remain in custody until his next court appearance.Aibeb told the Magistrate that he wants to apply to be given legal aid.According to a Namibian Police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Stephan Nuuyi, the incident that led to Aibeb’s arrest took place at Outjo around 02h00 on Monday. It is alleged that Aibeb had a quarrel with his girlfriend, Bertina Uwu-Khaes. The spat ended on a bloody note with Aibeb stabbing her 17 times with a knife. The stabbing claimed the 23-year-old Uwu-Khaes’s life.Aibeb allegedly also stabbed another woman, named by Nuuyi as Mutelezi Aebeb, 10 times with a knife, injuring her critically, Nuuyi has told The Namibian. Two children – identified by the Police as Seonndele Gabathuler, aged three, and Simon Gabathuler, who was four months old – were also at the house where the stabbings took place. They, too, were killed when Aibeb allegedly set the house on fire. According to Nuuyi the children’s parents had left them at home in other people’s care when they went to visit a farm near Outjo before the tragedy.