Staff Reporter
ONNO Nghidileko, a former employee of NIMT’s Keetmanshoop campus, testified that a group of NIMT employees had formed a staff group concerned about the mismanagement within the organization, and Ernst Lichtenstrasser was part of this group.
Nghidileko provided his testimony during the trial of his former colleague, Lichtenstrasser, who stands accused of the murder of Eckhardt Mueller, NIMT’s Executive Director at the time, and his subordinate, Heinz Heimo Hellwig. The tragic incident took place in 2019 at the Arandis Campus.
According to Nghidileko, the concerned group comprised several individuals from NIMT who aimed to express their dissatisfaction with the institution’s leadership, addressing issues such as nepotism, racism, and discrimination. The group utilized a dedicated WhatsApp group to communicate and discuss their mobilization strategies.
The witness further revealed that in January and February of 2019, a former colleague approached him for assistance in publishing a letter in newspapers. Nghidileko provided an email address for one of the daily newspapers to aid his colleague. The content of the letter warned Mueller and Hellwig, both victims of the shooting, to be cautious of those close to them. The letter contained the phrase: “If I were you, I would sleep with one eye open.”
The prosecution team highlighted that the Namibian police established evidence linking the letter to a certain Imelda Handunge, a NIMT employee at the Keetmanshoop campus. Handunge, however, denied being the author of the letter. The state also revealed that Handunge and Lichtenstrasser were both part of the concerned group and were acquainted with each other.
Lichtenstrasser’s trial is currently underway in the high court, presided over by Judge Christie Liebenberg. He is represented by Albert Titus from Legal Aid, while prosecutor Antonia Verhoef represents the state. The matter has been postponed to July 11 for a status hearing.
