Jail doors slam for panga killer
A man who hacked his father to death with a panga has been sentenced to an effective 20 years in prison, with the judge expressing concern about increasingly brutal domestic violence cases.
A High Court judge who sentenced a man for hacking his father to death with a panga said the premeditated and chilling crime was symptomatic of the high rate of violent crimes within families in Namibia.
Before sentencing Mukonka Ambrosius Haingura (27) to an effective 20-year prison term on Thursday, Oshakati High Court Judge Johanna Salionga said Haingura's coldblooded decision to use a pang to hack his sleeping father to death was a “serious, callous and heinous” crime.
She added that the prevalence of domestic murder cases in which a panga or knife is used has increased in Namibia, and has become prevalent not only in northern Namibia but the entire country.
“Prevalence of murder cases related to domestic relationships where a panga or a knife was used has increased,” the judge stated.
Salionga in August declared Haingura guilty of murder and a count of trying to defeat the course of justice. Haingura was arrested three years ago after he killed his father, Mukonga Simon Mangundu (49), at Ndama location in Rundu on 16 April 2016.
After he killed his father, Haingura wrapped the body in a cloth and buried it in a shallow grave to conceal the crime.
The judge said his actions constituted “an act against the morals of any society” and that his burying of the body “was uncaring and emotionless. It does not support an iota of remorse”.
The judge underlined that the panga killing was a premeditated act following a disagreement between the two and was not made in self-defence as claimed during the trial.
She said even if Haingura had felt threatened by his father based on previous assaults, “there can be no doubt that his action of resorting to using a panga and hacking the deceased several times was not warranted.”
She added that following their argument about money, Haingura “went outside and was thinking what to do with his abusive father. He went and picked up the panga and proceeded to the deceased's bedroom, and hacked him to death.”
She highlighted that Mangundu was resting “and was attacked in the comfort of his bedroom. He could not have expected to experience such a deadly attack from a son who was supposed to protect him.” Haingura's claim of self-defence was an attempt to “escape the consequences of your evil deed. You represent a serious danger to society and deserve to the removed for a long period.”
Salionga said “retribution is the only answer for what you have done, and your personal circumstances pale into insignificance compared to the barbarity of your actions.”
On Thursday, she handed down a 25-year sentence on the conviction of murder; of which five years were conditionally suspended for three years.
Moreover, he was given a one-year prison term on the second charge, to be served concurrently with the murder sentence.
Effectively, Haingura will serve 20 years in prison.
When she convicted Haingura in August, Salionga commented that the murder scene “told a tale of a monstrous, brutal, and savage [attack] on the deceased, as the face and the neck were totally disfigured.”
The State was represented by State Advocate Ruben Shileka and Haingura by legal aid lawyer Godfrey Bondai.
JANA-MARI SMITH
Before sentencing Mukonka Ambrosius Haingura (27) to an effective 20-year prison term on Thursday, Oshakati High Court Judge Johanna Salionga said Haingura's coldblooded decision to use a pang to hack his sleeping father to death was a “serious, callous and heinous” crime.
She added that the prevalence of domestic murder cases in which a panga or knife is used has increased in Namibia, and has become prevalent not only in northern Namibia but the entire country.
“Prevalence of murder cases related to domestic relationships where a panga or a knife was used has increased,” the judge stated.
Salionga in August declared Haingura guilty of murder and a count of trying to defeat the course of justice. Haingura was arrested three years ago after he killed his father, Mukonga Simon Mangundu (49), at Ndama location in Rundu on 16 April 2016.
After he killed his father, Haingura wrapped the body in a cloth and buried it in a shallow grave to conceal the crime.
The judge said his actions constituted “an act against the morals of any society” and that his burying of the body “was uncaring and emotionless. It does not support an iota of remorse”.
The judge underlined that the panga killing was a premeditated act following a disagreement between the two and was not made in self-defence as claimed during the trial.
She said even if Haingura had felt threatened by his father based on previous assaults, “there can be no doubt that his action of resorting to using a panga and hacking the deceased several times was not warranted.”
She added that following their argument about money, Haingura “went outside and was thinking what to do with his abusive father. He went and picked up the panga and proceeded to the deceased's bedroom, and hacked him to death.”
She highlighted that Mangundu was resting “and was attacked in the comfort of his bedroom. He could not have expected to experience such a deadly attack from a son who was supposed to protect him.” Haingura's claim of self-defence was an attempt to “escape the consequences of your evil deed. You represent a serious danger to society and deserve to the removed for a long period.”
Salionga said “retribution is the only answer for what you have done, and your personal circumstances pale into insignificance compared to the barbarity of your actions.”
On Thursday, she handed down a 25-year sentence on the conviction of murder; of which five years were conditionally suspended for three years.
Moreover, he was given a one-year prison term on the second charge, to be served concurrently with the murder sentence.
Effectively, Haingura will serve 20 years in prison.
When she convicted Haingura in August, Salionga commented that the murder scene “told a tale of a monstrous, brutal, and savage [attack] on the deceased, as the face and the neck were totally disfigured.”
The State was represented by State Advocate Ruben Shileka and Haingura by legal aid lawyer Godfrey Bondai.
JANA-MARI SMITH
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