Murder-charged cop speaks for comrade
A former cop, charged with killing his two minor sons, last week testified in the bail application of his former station commander, also charged with murder.
Albertus Ganeb, a former police officer from Gobabis, in custody facing charges of killing his two boys in a fit a jealousy, testified in the Windhoek High Court for bail for Lazarus Oscar Awaseb, the former commander of the police detective unit at Gobabis police station. Awaseb, 50, is in custody on allegations that he killed Odilo Rathebe Motonane, 18, on 22 March 2016 by shooting him in the back. He allegedly shot Motonane after he found him with his former girlfriend, Mildred Hoases. Awaseb is also charged with attempted murder in that he shot and wounded Haoses, who was in a romantic relationship with Motonane. It is alleged that Awaseb attempted suicide by shooting himself in the chest. He is further charged with the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition along with a charge of malicious damage to property in that he during the period between 18 and 22 March 2018 at Gobabis intentionally damaged a home theatre system or television set and a DVD player, which were in the lawful possession of Haoses. In the same period, Awaseb is accused of having stolen an unknown number of corrugated iron sheets, a fridge and a microwave, the property of Haoses. In his testimony, Awaseb told the court he developed bronchial asthma at the police holdings cells at Hosea Kutako and that the conditions of the cells were not favourable to his health. According to him the diagnosis was done by two state doctors on separate occasions and that one of the doctors, after gathering information about the conditions of the cells, told him that he will have breathing problems as long as he remains there. He maintained that he does not want to commit suicide or abscond because he wants to stand trial to prove his innocence. Judge Johanna Salionga postponed the matter, saying a date for the ruling in the bail application must still be set. Awaseb's trial for murder will start on 23 July this year.
Albertus Ganeb, a former police officer from Gobabis, in custody facing charges of killing his two boys in a fit a jealousy, testified in the Windhoek High Court for bail for Lazarus Oscar Awaseb, the former commander of the police detective unit at Gobabis police station. Awaseb, 50, is in custody on allegations that he killed Odilo Rathebe Motonane, 18, on 22 March 2016 by shooting him in the back. He allegedly shot Motonane after he found him with his former girlfriend, Mildred Hoases. Awaseb is also charged with attempted murder in that he shot and wounded Haoses, who was in a romantic relationship with Motonane. It is alleged that Awaseb attempted suicide by shooting himself in the chest. He is further charged with the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition along with a charge of malicious damage to property in that he during the period between 18 and 22 March 2018 at Gobabis intentionally damaged a home theatre system or television set and a DVD player, which were in the lawful possession of Haoses. In the same period, Awaseb is accused of having stolen an unknown number of corrugated iron sheets, a fridge and a microwave, the property of Haoses. In his testimony, Awaseb told the court he developed bronchial asthma at the police holdings cells at Hosea Kutako and that the conditions of the cells were not favourable to his health. According to him the diagnosis was done by two state doctors on separate occasions and that one of the doctors, after gathering information about the conditions of the cells, told him that he will have breathing problems as long as he remains there. He maintained that he does not want to commit suicide or abscond because he wants to stand trial to prove his innocence. Judge Johanna Salionga postponed the matter, saying a date for the ruling in the bail application must still be set. Awaseb's trial for murder will start on 23 July this year.
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