30 years for deadly robbery
Windhoek (rk/ak) • Twelve years after a deadly attack on a tuck shop in Outjo, the High Court in Windhoek has sentenced two men to lengthy prison terms. Judge Nate Ndauendapo convicted Lourense Aib and Hendrik !Nowoseb of murder, attempted murder, rape and robbery with aggravating circumstances and sentenced them to 30 years’ imprisonment each for the murder.
The additional sentences, 15 years for attempted murder, 20 years for rape and 15 years for aggravated robbery, will run concurrently with the 30-year sentence.
The convictions relate to an attack on 25 October 2014. At the time, the two men forced their way into a tuck shop on the property of the later deceased 71-year-old Gerhardus Koekemoer. During the attack, they assaulted and raped a woman. Koekemoer, who responded after hearing the commotion, was stabbed to death when he tried to intervene. The attackers then fled with stolen airtime vouchers and cigarettes.
The court described the crimes as particularly brutal and found that the seriousness of the offences and the interests of society outweighed the personal circumstances of the accused.
