Trial date set for ‘Dorado 7’

SEVEN young Windhoek residents accused of murdering an off-duty Namibia Defence Force member in an alleged mob attack in mid-2007 heard yesterday that their trial is set to start in the Windhoek Regional Court in November.

The seven suspects are set to go on trial on November 10, they were told when they made a first appearance in the Windhoek Regional Court, where their trial is supposed to be taking place.
The seven residents of Windhoek’s Dorado Park residential area – Je-Andre Reuxve du Plessis (22), Quinton Collin Martin (20), Morné Buys (20) and four co-accused who were still juveniles under the age of 18 at the time of the killing of NDF member Shipendeni Kanyemba (31) – are set to face charges of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances at their trial.
Kanyemba and his brother were walking along a street in Dorado Park on the evening of June 25 2007 when they were allegedly attacked by a group of people. Kanyemba’s brother managed to run away from the attackers, but Kanyemba could not make it to safety.
It is alleged that he was beaten, hit with a metal bar that may have been sharp-edged, and also had stones thrown at him.
Kanyemba sustained cuts to his head and his skull was fractured in the attack.
He died of head injuries.
His attackers allegedly stole a cellphone from him after the deadly assault.
The four suspects who were still juveniles at the time of the incident, when they were aged between 14 and 17, remain free in the care of their parents pending the start of their trial.
Du Plessis, Martin and Buys are free on bail of N$1 000 each.