Woman accused of murdering husband out on bail
High Court grants N$5 000 bail
The woman says her husband died following a series of accidental falls, while the State alleges she deliberately killed him.
Sarina Sherinda Cloete (39), accused of murdering her husband in Rundu last December, was granted bail of N$5 000 after the High Court overturned an earlier decision by the Rundu Magistrate’s Court to deny her release.
Cloete is alleged to have killed her husband of 15 years using a mop handle and an electric wire on 26 December.
The deceased, Petrus Cloete, was taken to Rundu State Hospital with life-threatening injuries but died later that day.
Following her arrest, Cloete appeared before magistrate Selma Shiiga, who denied bail and postponed the case to 6 March for further investigation.
During her bail application, Cloete claimed that her husband's death was the result of several accidental falls. She told the magistrate that Petrus allegedly fell twice inside their home after slipping on a wet floor and once again outside on a sandy and rocky surface.
She denied assaulting him and maintained that the injuries leading to his death were accidental. She also claimed Petrus had been in a "drunken state" and described the incident as an "unfortunate accident".
After bail was denied, Cloete turned to the Windhoek High Court for relief.
Strict bail conditions
Her notice of appeal, filed by lawyer Bernhard Tjatjara on 10 January, argued that she was a suitable candidate for bail and that the State’s case relied on hearsay evidence.
High Court judges Herman January and Claudia Claasen agreed with the arguments and set aside Shiiga’s decision, granting the applicant N$5 000 bail.
In their ruling, the judges imposed several bail conditions, ordering Cloete to surrender her passport to the investigating officer and to remain in the country until the case is finalised.
"The appellant must report herself once a week, between the hours of 08:00 and 18:00, to the investigation officer at the Otjimuise Police Station," the judges added.
Cloete is also prohibited from leaving the Windhoek district or the municipal area without written permission from either the investigating officer or the station commander.
“The applicant should not interfere with state witnesses or with police investigations. The appellant must attend court on the date that her case is remanded to and every subsequent date of postponement thereafter," the ruling stated.
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Cloete is alleged to have killed her husband of 15 years using a mop handle and an electric wire on 26 December.
The deceased, Petrus Cloete, was taken to Rundu State Hospital with life-threatening injuries but died later that day.
Following her arrest, Cloete appeared before magistrate Selma Shiiga, who denied bail and postponed the case to 6 March for further investigation.
During her bail application, Cloete claimed that her husband's death was the result of several accidental falls. She told the magistrate that Petrus allegedly fell twice inside their home after slipping on a wet floor and once again outside on a sandy and rocky surface.
She denied assaulting him and maintained that the injuries leading to his death were accidental. She also claimed Petrus had been in a "drunken state" and described the incident as an "unfortunate accident".
After bail was denied, Cloete turned to the Windhoek High Court for relief.
Strict bail conditions
Her notice of appeal, filed by lawyer Bernhard Tjatjara on 10 January, argued that she was a suitable candidate for bail and that the State’s case relied on hearsay evidence.
High Court judges Herman January and Claudia Claasen agreed with the arguments and set aside Shiiga’s decision, granting the applicant N$5 000 bail.
In their ruling, the judges imposed several bail conditions, ordering Cloete to surrender her passport to the investigating officer and to remain in the country until the case is finalised.
"The appellant must report herself once a week, between the hours of 08:00 and 18:00, to the investigation officer at the Otjimuise Police Station," the judges added.
Cloete is also prohibited from leaving the Windhoek district or the municipal area without written permission from either the investigating officer or the station commander.
“The applicant should not interfere with state witnesses or with police investigations. The appellant must attend court on the date that her case is remanded to and every subsequent date of postponement thereafter," the ruling stated.
[email protected]
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