Hunger, anger led to brutal murder, accused says
“I was angry with how Mr Mungunda treated me because he brought me to his farm to work, but he could not provide me with food and he assaulted me,” murder-accused Rodney Hoxobeb (29) told a High Court judge this week.
Hoxobeb (29) has pleaded guilty to murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, reckless driving and driving without a licence in relation to the murder of his former employer, Christof Mungunda, three years ago.
He has, however, denied guilt on two further charges: the attempted murder of his co-worker, Jerry Shitani, for allegedly attempting to run him over with the Toyota bakkie he stole from Mungunda. He also pleaded not guilty to his sixth charge – driving under the influence of alcohol.
‘Empty stomach’
Hoxobeb, who was employed as a farmworker by Mungunda at Mberitjiwa Post near Gobabis, told judge Philanda Christiaan that on the night he murdered his employer, he acted in retaliation after asking for food.
He claimed he had approached Mungunda asking for help with food, but his boss allegedly refused to help him.
"I then went to my neighbour's house to ask for food, as my child and girlfriend did not have anything to eat. My neighbour gave me porridge, and I went back to my shack," he said.
"Later that same day, Mr Mungunda returned to the post and called me to ask whether I wanted to work or not. I told [him] that I could not work on an empty stomach and that if he did not want to provide me with food, he should take me back to Gobabis, as I felt he was mistreating me,” Hoxobeb explained.
Hoxobeb claimed Mungunda retorted with insults and instructed him to leave.
The fight escalated to the point where Mungunda allegedly slapped Hoxobeb.
Hoxobeb told the court that, subsequently, while Mungunda was standing by a water pump, he approached him with his homemade axe handle and hit him on the head and neck several times until he collapsed.
“I knew that what I was doing could kill him, but I continued nonetheless.”
Police chase
Hoxobeb admitted he then went to Mungunda’s house and stole several items, including a Toyota bakkie, a Samsung cellphone, a wristwatch, biscuits and 12 tins of fish, among other items.
Regarding his reckless driving and driving without a licence charges, he admits that he drove the stolen bakkie in a negligent manner without a valid licence on a public road, failing to exercise proper control over the vehicle, which resulted in slight damage to the vehicle’s grille.
Police officer Johny Beukes, attached to the Namibian Police Station in Gobabis, testified: 'We struggled to catch him; he would stop in the middle of the road, and when someone approached or tried to get closer to the car, he would speed off."
The police officer also testified that Hoxobeb reeked of alcohol, was uncooperative and violent, and had to be subdued and detained by four police officers.
The case has been postponed to 14 March for submissions before judgment.
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Hoxobeb (29) has pleaded guilty to murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, reckless driving and driving without a licence in relation to the murder of his former employer, Christof Mungunda, three years ago.
He has, however, denied guilt on two further charges: the attempted murder of his co-worker, Jerry Shitani, for allegedly attempting to run him over with the Toyota bakkie he stole from Mungunda. He also pleaded not guilty to his sixth charge – driving under the influence of alcohol.
‘Empty stomach’
Hoxobeb, who was employed as a farmworker by Mungunda at Mberitjiwa Post near Gobabis, told judge Philanda Christiaan that on the night he murdered his employer, he acted in retaliation after asking for food.
He claimed he had approached Mungunda asking for help with food, but his boss allegedly refused to help him.
"I then went to my neighbour's house to ask for food, as my child and girlfriend did not have anything to eat. My neighbour gave me porridge, and I went back to my shack," he said.
"Later that same day, Mr Mungunda returned to the post and called me to ask whether I wanted to work or not. I told [him] that I could not work on an empty stomach and that if he did not want to provide me with food, he should take me back to Gobabis, as I felt he was mistreating me,” Hoxobeb explained.
Hoxobeb claimed Mungunda retorted with insults and instructed him to leave.
The fight escalated to the point where Mungunda allegedly slapped Hoxobeb.
Hoxobeb told the court that, subsequently, while Mungunda was standing by a water pump, he approached him with his homemade axe handle and hit him on the head and neck several times until he collapsed.
“I knew that what I was doing could kill him, but I continued nonetheless.”
Police chase
Hoxobeb admitted he then went to Mungunda’s house and stole several items, including a Toyota bakkie, a Samsung cellphone, a wristwatch, biscuits and 12 tins of fish, among other items.
Regarding his reckless driving and driving without a licence charges, he admits that he drove the stolen bakkie in a negligent manner without a valid licence on a public road, failing to exercise proper control over the vehicle, which resulted in slight damage to the vehicle’s grille.
Police officer Johny Beukes, attached to the Namibian Police Station in Gobabis, testified: 'We struggled to catch him; he would stop in the middle of the road, and when someone approached or tried to get closer to the car, he would speed off."
The police officer also testified that Hoxobeb reeked of alcohol, was uncooperative and violent, and had to be subdued and detained by four police officers.
The case has been postponed to 14 March for submissions before judgment.
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