Serial murderer, rapist locked away for life

Convicted killer and rapist John Kangumbe Mutirua (24) will spend the remainder of his days behind bars after the Windhoek High Court delivered a stiff sentence for a string of violent crimes that left two people dead and a nine-year-old girl raped twice.

Acting judge Makapa Simasiku sentenced Mutirua to life imprisonment for each of the two murder counts, ordering that the sentences run concurrently.

The court imposed 15 years’ imprisonment on each of the two child rape convictions, alongside additional sentences for attempted murder, robbery, attempted rape and defeating the course of justice. Several of these will run at the same time.

In November last year, he was found guilty on nine charges, including two counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of rape, attempted rape, robbery and defeating the course of justice.

String of violent crimes

Mutirua was convicted for raping a nine-year-old girl twice in the Epako residential area of Gobabis on 23 September 2018.

Two years later, during the night of 31 October 2020, he fatally stabbed 19-year-old Meno Tjizera. That same night, he attacked another man, leading to a conviction for attempted murder.

On 16 July 2023, he stabbed Albertus Maasdorp (37) to death after accusing him of stealing blankets. This case resulted in his second murder conviction.

He also stabbed another man during the same incident, again resulting in an attempted murder conviction.

In removing the serial criminal from society for good, judge Simasiku said: “Mutirua’s criminal history showed a rapid and alarming escalation from early offences at age 16 to serious violent crimes, including murder, attempted murder and robbery, demonstrating a clear disregard for human life and a readiness to use lethal force with little provocation."

The judge found that this position is further aggravated by Mutirua's lack of genuine remorse, as shown by his denial of most charges, failure to apologise, and attempts to evade justice.

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