Court hears testimony in Keetmans murder case

A knife was the most likely weapon used to kill a woman whose boyfriend is accused of killing her in a fit of jealous rage.The senior medical officer at the Keetmanshoop State Hospital, Dr Maksym Verkusha, who performed the post-mortem on the body of Juliana Sarvanda Garises, yesterday testified in the High Court in Windhoek that the three wounds inflicted to her chest penetrated the chest cavity and led to more than 200ml blood loss. That was what caused her death, he testified.He further stated that the horizontal angle and the width of the other five wounds both pointed to the possibility that they could have been caused by a knife. He added that mild or moderate force was used to inflict the wounds.Verkusha told the court that the wounds to Garises's left arm were defensive wounds which must have been caused when she tried to block the knife that struck her repeatedly.Andrew Britz (58), her boyfriend at the time, is charged with killing Garises in a fit of rage after she allegedly ended their relationship.Britz is accused of having stabbed Garises eight times in her neck, upper body and arms at House 58/69 in Krönlein, Keetmanshoop, between 11 and 12 December 2013. On Monday, the elderly Christelle Minnie testified about the murder of her friend, who was lying next to her, back-to-back, on her bed at the time.“No one will have you, you are mine,” Andrew Britz allegedly exclaimed before stabbing Garises after she allegedly brushed off his advances to kiss her. She allegedly told him that she did not love him anymore.Britz and Garises had an intimate relationship but at the time of her death she was in the process of breaking up with him, Minnie testified.Minnie told the court that while they were lying in bed Britz came into the room and bent down over her towards Garises. It was then that Garises brushed him off and told him she did not love him anymore. She allegedly had revived a relationship with a certain Petrus Pous Swartbooi, with whom she had been involved prior to Britz.“If I cannot have you, no one will have you. You are mine,” Britz allegedly said and stepped over to her kitchen cupboard, Minnie testified.When Britz came back, it sounded as if he was beating Garises on the chest with his fists.Minnie said Garises did not utter a word as she was afraid to say anything because she feared that he was going to beat her too.The trial continues. FRED GOEIEMAN

Court hears testimony in Keetmans murder case

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Namibian Sun 2025-11-05

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Court hears testimony in Keetmans murder case

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Namibian Sun 2025-11-05

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