Grieving widow testifies in Avis Dam murder trial

The wife of the late Daniele Ferrari (52), who was murdered in a deadly armed robbery four years ago at Avis Dam, a public nature reserve east of Windhoek where he regularly walked their dogs, visibly fought back tears during her testimony at the Windhoek High Court on Wednesday.Odette Ferrari recounted the tragic evening of July 14, 2020, when she received a frantic call from her sister-in-law, Gloria Ferrari, urging her to call an ambulance to Avis Dam.“I last saw my husband, Daniele, that afternoon when he left to walk the dogs. That was the last time I saw him,” she told the court.Odette testified that she called her brother to drive her to Avis Dam. Upon arrival, she found her husband in the car, covered in blood. “When I got there, the emergency services, police, and neighbourhood watch were already at the scene. Shortly after I arrived, they pronounced him dead,” she recounted. Brutal attack Her husband had been attacked with a knife and panga, sustaining fatal injuries. Ferrari had tried to escape from the robbers and reach his car but was pursued by the suspects. His body was later discovered by Gloria in the car at the dam&#039;s parking area, with panga wounds to his head and multiple stab wounds to his body.The trial of Johannes Shetunyenga (36), Kefas Iileka (37), and Antonio Cheme (29) resumed Wednesday in the Windhoek High Court before Judge Naomi Shivute, after it first commenced on Tuesday. According to State prosecutor Ethel Ndlovu, the three men allegedly stole a set of keys, a N$5 200 Swiss military wristwatch, a wallet, a Samsung cellphone and a black belt.Caught red-handed Tjiuma Mauuana, an NDF intelligence officer and a cousin of Iileka, found himself on the wrong side of the law when he was found in possession of Daniele’s stolen watch, according to the State. Mauuana, who has known Iileka for 20 years, testified before judge Shivute on Wednesday that he received the watch from Iileka while having drinks at Iileka’s residence in Havana a few days after the robbery and murder. “I saw Iileka wearing a fancy, expensive-looking watch and asked him to give it to me, and he did so without hesitation".He insisted that he did not ask where Iileka had purchased the watch or how much it cost. On 24 November 2020, investigations led detectives and military police officers to Mauuana.Mauuana testified that he was at the Brewers Market in Windhoek when military police officers summoned him outside for questioning about the watch he was wearing. “I was called by military police officers, who asked me to step outside the market and get into their car,” Mauuana said.During questioning, the officers allegedly asked if he knew Iileka and whether he was aware of the crimes Iileka was allegedly involved in. He admitted to knowing Iileka but denied any knowledge of the crimes. "They explained what the situation was, and I subsequently handed over the watch to the police".During cross-examination, Iileka’s lawyer, Mbanga Siyomunji, accused Mauuana of being aware of Iileka’s involvement in the crime and failing to question the origins of the watch.The trial was scheduled to proceed yesterday.rita@myzone.com.na

Grieving widow testifies in Avis Dam murder trial

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-12

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Grieving widow testifies in Avis Dam murder trial

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-12

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