Gertze's attempted murder case withdrawn

OGONE TLHAGE

WINDHOEK



Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA) CEO Franz Gertze is off the hook after the Office of the Prosecutor-General declined to prosecute him for a shooting incident involving his wife, Anittha.

This is after Anittha allegedly made a statement to the police that her husband was not trying to kill her, but that shots were fired in a tussle over a hunting rifle.

Gertze had initially been charged with attempted murder and negligent discharge of a firearm, read with provisions of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act.

Anittha was shot several times with the hunting rifle, according to earlier media reports on the incident that occurred in the family's Pionierspark home in November 2019.

Police last November said the motive for the shooting was unknown, “but according to the suspect, he heard intruders walking into his house and randomly opened fire in their common bedroom”.

The house was, however, not broken into and the victim was with him, a police report circulated at the time said. The report also said his wife was in the Roman Catholic Hospital, where the suspect allegedly transported her after the incident.

“A suicide note believed to be written by the suspect was found in the house. The firearm used belongs to the suspect and it has been recovered in his house. Another pistol was found in his car and was seized as well,” the police report at the time said.