Mom implicated in girl's brutal murder
A Zimbabwean couple who allegedly fatally assaulted the man's nine-year-old daughter appeared in the Windhoek High Court yesterday.
Edward and Caroline Nkata allegedly threw Akundaishe Natalie Chipomho's body into a garbage bin in Windhoek North in January 2020 and set the contents on fire.
Chipomho's biological mother, Rachel Kureva, was initially a co-defendant in the matter.
At first, the prosecutor-general decided not to prosecute her due to insufficient evidence, but she was rearrested after Edward's 14-year-old son implicated her in the murder in a police statement.
Her case was transferred to the High Court in February, and the State applied for the matter to be joined with that of Edward and Caroline.
If this application is approved, all three defendants will soon be tried together.
The application for joinder was meant to be heard yesterday before Judge Philanda Christiaan, but the trial was postponed to 25 July as Kureva's legal representative withdrew from the case and her new representative, appointed by legal aid, was not present in court.
During her first court appearance, Caroline admitted guilt and said Edward had beaten Chipomho while she was at home. After the assault, he allegedly forced her to help dispose of the girl's body.
Son also assaulted
The Nkatas are also accused of assaulting Edward's son, who was 11 years old at the time, with a belt and an unknown object all over his body in January 2020. He survived the incident.
They are facing charges of murder and obstruction of justice, as well as two counts of assault and fraud.
The couple is also accused of violating the Immigration Control Act by staying in Namibia after their visitor permits had expired.
The fraud case stems from an incident where Caroline falsely pretended to be Chipombo and the son's biological mother at a school she taught at, so that they could attend school for free.
The couple is also accused of falsifying the children's school reports.
– [email protected]
Edward and Caroline Nkata allegedly threw Akundaishe Natalie Chipomho's body into a garbage bin in Windhoek North in January 2020 and set the contents on fire.
Chipomho's biological mother, Rachel Kureva, was initially a co-defendant in the matter.
At first, the prosecutor-general decided not to prosecute her due to insufficient evidence, but she was rearrested after Edward's 14-year-old son implicated her in the murder in a police statement.
Her case was transferred to the High Court in February, and the State applied for the matter to be joined with that of Edward and Caroline.
If this application is approved, all three defendants will soon be tried together.
The application for joinder was meant to be heard yesterday before Judge Philanda Christiaan, but the trial was postponed to 25 July as Kureva's legal representative withdrew from the case and her new representative, appointed by legal aid, was not present in court.
During her first court appearance, Caroline admitted guilt and said Edward had beaten Chipomho while she was at home. After the assault, he allegedly forced her to help dispose of the girl's body.
Son also assaulted
The Nkatas are also accused of assaulting Edward's son, who was 11 years old at the time, with a belt and an unknown object all over his body in January 2020. He survived the incident.
They are facing charges of murder and obstruction of justice, as well as two counts of assault and fraud.
The couple is also accused of violating the Immigration Control Act by staying in Namibia after their visitor permits had expired.
The fraud case stems from an incident where Caroline falsely pretended to be Chipombo and the son's biological mother at a school she taught at, so that they could attend school for free.
The couple is also accused of falsifying the children's school reports.
– [email protected]
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