Not fit to stand trial
04 September 2019 | Justice
Jesaya Gabriel Chuhunda (21), who was accused of killing five members of his family at Rundu last year, has been declared mentally ill and will be admitted to a psychiatric facility.
The murder case against Chuhunda was struck from the roll of the Rundu Magistrate's Court yesterday after his mental evaluation report indicated that he is not fit to stand trial.
Magistrate Sonia Samupofu also withdrew Chuhunda's 2016 case of assault, which was still on the court roll.
Chuhunda was charged with five counts of murder for allegedly killing his grandmother, Ndongo Ntumba (77), his mother, Ndara Elizabeth Mpande (46), and his three nephews, Musenge Petrus Muruti (6), Hausiku Daniel Kapumburu (4) and Musenge Elias Tjingelesu (3).
The incident happened at Rundu's Ndama informal settlement in July 2018.
Following preliminary reports that Chuhunda was mentally challenged and a drug user, the court ordered that he be sent for psychiatric observation.
State prosecutor Helvy Gorases submitted the report in court.
“Upon completion of this report, the patient is not fit to stand trial. He is incapable of understanding court proceedings. He is mentally ill,” Gorases told the court. Gorases submitted that Chuhundu is now a president's patient and would be referred to a mental hospital.
Gorases then also made the application for the assault case to be withdrawn, which Samupofu granted. In the aftermath of the family massacre two Rundu police officers were fined N$1 500 each for negligence after internal police investigations found that they had not responded to a telephone call by Chuhunda's sister, who had reported his irrational behaviour to the police.
KENYA KAMBOWE
The murder case against Chuhunda was struck from the roll of the Rundu Magistrate's Court yesterday after his mental evaluation report indicated that he is not fit to stand trial.
Magistrate Sonia Samupofu also withdrew Chuhunda's 2016 case of assault, which was still on the court roll.
Chuhunda was charged with five counts of murder for allegedly killing his grandmother, Ndongo Ntumba (77), his mother, Ndara Elizabeth Mpande (46), and his three nephews, Musenge Petrus Muruti (6), Hausiku Daniel Kapumburu (4) and Musenge Elias Tjingelesu (3).
The incident happened at Rundu's Ndama informal settlement in July 2018.
Following preliminary reports that Chuhunda was mentally challenged and a drug user, the court ordered that he be sent for psychiatric observation.
State prosecutor Helvy Gorases submitted the report in court.
“Upon completion of this report, the patient is not fit to stand trial. He is incapable of understanding court proceedings. He is mentally ill,” Gorases told the court. Gorases submitted that Chuhundu is now a president's patient and would be referred to a mental hospital.
Gorases then also made the application for the assault case to be withdrawn, which Samupofu granted. In the aftermath of the family massacre two Rundu police officers were fined N$1 500 each for negligence after internal police investigations found that they had not responded to a telephone call by Chuhunda's sister, who had reported his irrational behaviour to the police.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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