Staff Reporter
IMMANUEL Venonja, a 25-year-old man accused of stabbing his girlfriend to death, started his trial in the Windhoek High Court today and pleaded not guilty before Judge Claudia Claasen.
The state alleges that Venonja, on 31 May 2024, in the district of Otavi, intentionally assaulted Elisabeth Uwu-Khaes by stabbing her in the back with a knife with the intention to kill her. It is alleged that Uwu-Khaes succumbed to her injuries on 1 June 2024 at a medical clinic in Otavi due to hypovolemic shock caused by the injuries sustained from the stab wound.
Prior to her death, the deceased, Uwu-Khaes, was in a domestic relationship with the accused, as they lived together and also had a child together. Sometime during February 2024, the romantic relationship came to an end and the deceased left the common household and returned to her mother’s residence.
The state alleges that during the evening of Friday, 31 May 2024, at a local bar in Otavi, the accused, Venonja, approached the deceased and stabbed her in the back with a knife. It is further alleged that when the deceased collapsed, the accused prevented bystanders from taking her to a local healthcare centre. Eventually, the deceased’s brother managed to take her to a medical centre, where she died in the early morning hours of Saturday, 1 June 2024.
During the start of his trial, Venonja, however, denied killing his former lover.
In a plea statement, Venonja claimed that he is not guilty of the murder.
“I deny that on 31 May 2024, I unlawfully and intentionally assaulted Elizabeth Uwu-Khaes by stabbing her with a knife in the back with the intention to kill her, which caused her death on 1 June 2024 at a medical clinic in Otavi. The deceased, when she came to the bar, poured from my alcohol without asking. I just took my alcohol and, as I was exiting the bar, the deceased hit me with a bottle on my left eyebrow and the bottle broke, and the deceased stabbed me with a broken piece of the bottle on my right ear,” Venonja said.
He added that he fell down after being attacked by the deceased, Uwu-Khaes.
“I fell down and, while I was trying to stand up, I saw that the deceased had a knife in her hand. I grabbed her hand, and we started wrestling, and we both fell to the ground. The brother of the deceased started kicking me while I was on the ground, and I then stood up and ran away. I ran away in order for me not to be assaulted any further and to seek medical help,” Venonja said.
Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photo: File
