Iuze Mukube
A 30-year-old man from Mariental who is accused of murdering his teenage girlfriend between 2 and 3 May 2021 at a farm in Gibeon, has denied involvement in her death.
Testifying in the Windhoek High Court on Monday, Isak Blockstaan told the court that he was urinating in a bush when an unidentified assailant struck him on the head with an unknown object.
Blockstaan said the assault left him unconscious and that, upon regaining consciousness, he saw his girlfriend, Hannelie Swartbooi (16) lying in front of him.
Prior to the murder incident, he testified that he had attended a birthday party where they drank alcohol and played games.
He added that while at the party, the homeowner, the husband of the birthday girl, and his father-in-law ganged up on him and beat him all over his body.
He stated that the homeowner assaulted him after he had told the birthday girl, who was the homeowner’s wife, that he wanted her.
He, however, denied that he got into a fight with his father-in-law following the slaps he allegedly landed on his girlfriend and her mother.
He stated that he did not slap Swartbooi and that his father-in-law started beating him out of the blue.
He testified that after the fight, he left the party with Swartbooi and, on his way home, had an urge to urinate.
He stated that he stopped to urinate, with Swartbooi standing in front of him, when someone hit him on the back of his head with an object.
Blockstaan stated that the first blow knocked him to the ground, and a second blow followed when he attempted to get up.
He added that he felt dizzy and felt unconscious. When he awoke, he saw Swartbooi lying on the ground.
He testified that he crawled to her and, after lifting her up, noticed an iron bar on her body, which he allegedly picked up to defend himself while looking around for his assailant.
He also testified that when he started dating Swartbooi at the age of 26, he was unaware that she was 16, as she had allegedly told him that she was 18 years old.
Blockstaan is facing charges of murder, rape, defeating or obstructing the course of justice and two counts of assault.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges before presiding judge Eileen Rakow.
In his plea explanation, he narrated that in the late hours between 2 and 3 May 2021, after leaving the birthday party with the victim, he was attacked by an unknown person and lost consciousness. When he regained consciousness, he found the victim lying on the ground, naked and barely conscious, but still alive.
He added that he dragged her to his house and was later assisted by her parents, who found them on the way.
It was only the following day that he discovered Swartbooi had passed away while lying on his bed.
The State alleges that between 2 and 3 May 2021, while Blockstaan and Swartbooi were attending a birthday party at a farm in Gibeon, in the district of Mariental, the accused became angry with his then-girlfriend for allegedly refusing to take a seat next to him.
It is alleged that he assaulted her.
When the victim’s mother tried to come to her assistance, Blockstaan also assaulted her, sparking a fight between him and the victim’s father.
The State further alleges that during the same period, after leaving the party with the victim, the accused assaulted her by hitting her multiple times on her body and head with a wooden stick, an iron rod or other unknown objects.
Additionally, Blockstaan allegedly undressed the victim and committed a sexual act by inserting two stones and his private part into her private parts under coercive circumstances.
Swartbooi died from a subdural haematoma caused by the assault.
It is further alleged that the accused set his clothes and those of the victim alight, some of which had blood stains on them.
– imukube@nepc.com.na
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