Keetmanshoop gang on trial

Three of the remaining six men accused of murdering three people in Keetmanshoop in 2013 were taken into custody after submitting guilty pleas in the Keetmanshoop Regional Court last week.The three are part of a group of former JA Nel High School pupils charged with the robbery, assault and the murders of Mika Johannes, Augustinus Josef and Helmuth Isaacks between September and October 2013. The guilty pleas of Stephanus Kapuka, 20, Markus Goraseb, 19, and Hercules Oarum, 20, were accepted by the court and their bail was revoked.They will be sentenced on 2 February next year.Fellow accused Matheus Motinga, 20, Romario Cohlman, 18, and Valentinus Brandt, 20, who are free on bail, pleaded not guilty before Regional Magistrate Sunsley Zisengwe.Zisengwe on Thursday split their trial and postponed it for continuation to 21 and 24 February respectively.Earlier last week, the court acquitted two other suspects - brothers Josephat Fredericks, 18, and Gada Fredericks, 19 - due to a lack of evidence, according to Prosecutor Basson Lilungwe.The youth gang''s brief reign of terror sent shockwaves through the South. They allegedly went on violent robbery sprees after sneaking out of the school hostel at night.Kapuka told a tale of brutality, violence and intoxication in his admission.He said he was part of a gang of six who attacked the first victim, Johannes, who was a student at the Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology, near the office of the //Karas governor on 13 September.Johannes was assaulted, robbed of his wallet and stabbed three times as he tried to flee.The assailants ran back to the hostel afterwards, Kapuka said, also admitting to his involvement in the robbery and assault of Isaacks on 20 October. Isaacks died the next day from injuries sustained in the attack. Kapuka said he was the first to kick Isaacks''s legs from under him, later removing his clothes while a co-accused pinned the deceased to the ground.Five days later, Kapuka killed Josef by stabbing him in the chest after robbing him of his wallet.“I attacked him, and my co-accused [Goraseb] and I robbed him. After running for a short distance, I turned around and went back to the man since I noticed he had a backpack on his back. I tried to remove it, but he resisted and I stabbed him once with a knife in the chest.”Goraseb admitted to stealing Josef''s mobile phone.On the same day, 25 October, Kapuka stabbed Amaury Manzezulu in the face and robbed Charlet Kennedy of a mobile phone and jewellery. Goraseb admitted to taking Kennedy''s shoes.Oarum pleaded guilty to robbing Isaacks of one shoe.It emerged that the schoolboys executed their attacks brazenly and randomly. Kapuka said all the victims were spotted walking while the suspects were out drinking. NAMPA

Keetmanshoop gang on trial

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-03

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Keetmanshoop gang on trial

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-03

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