Staff Reporter
HIGH Court Judge Dinah Usiku has sentenced Jacobus Seun Gawaseb to 22 years’ imprisonment for the murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Fransiska Naobes (24).
Gawaseb, aged 28, is said to have, during the late night of 2 March 2023 or early morning hours of 3 March 2023 in the Gobabis area, suspected the deceased of infidelity with another man.
The State alleged that Gawaseb had assaulted Naobes by hitting her all over her body with stones and with an iron knobkierie and also jumped on her body. At a certain point, the deceased sought help at a neighbouring house.
However, Gawaseb pursued the deceased, Naobes, and kicked and broke the door open to that house. It is further alleged that Gawaseb dragged Naobes out of the house and continued the assault on her.
As a result of the assault, the deceased was taken to hospital in Windhoek, where she died on 19 April 2023 due to blunt-force trauma and head injuries caused during the assault. The baby, which had been delivered prematurely due to the assault, also died a few days after being born.
The accused and the deceased were involved in a romantic relationship and lived together as man and wife. They had a six-year-old daughter together. The deceased, at the time of her death, was also seven months pregnant with her and the accused’s second child.
Judge Usiku ordered that Gawaseb be imprisoned for 22 years for murder, and an additional six months’ imprisonment for malicious damage to property. The sentence imposed on count two, malicious damage to property, must, however, run concurrently with the sentence on the first count of murder.
“Namibia as a country has experienced widespread outrage over murders in domestic settings. Our courts cannot therefore turn a blind eye to such outrage, otherwise they risk encouraging the breakdown of law and order and communities taking the law into their own hands,” the judge said.
She added that the accused had, however, shown sincere penitence when he testified on affirmation oath, thereby taking the court into his confidence.
“This court is mindful of the fact that the accused has shown real remorse for his conduct and that he has spent a considerable time in custody awaiting the finalisation of this case. However, there is no prescription on the type of sentence to be imposed or that the sentence should be suspended. It merely directs that the sentencing court must have regard to the time spent, and accordingly impose a just sentence,” Judge Usiku said.
She concluded that it is settled that murder per se is a serious crime.
“The offence was committed in the most brutal manner when regard is had to the post-mortem examination report compiled by the doctor. Had the deceased not died as a result of the injuries caused by the accused, her child, who was born prematurely, might have survived. She died as a result of lack of milk; she could not be breastfed by the mother, who died. Accused and deceased were in a domestic setting, which in itself is an aggravating factor,” Usiku said before handing down the sentence.
Photo: File
