Rittmann loses second lawyer
Gobabis resident Rachel Rittmann, who allegedly connived with her lover to murder her husband in August 2013, has lost her legal representation again.
The 46-year-old Rittmann's State-funded lawyer, Appolos Shimakeleni, withdrew from the case because of the accused's alleged failure to give him instructions on how to proceed with the matter.
Shimakeleni is the second government-funded defence lawyer to withdraw from the case in less than two months, following Hipura Ujaha, who withdrew last month citing reasons similar to Shimakeleni's.
Legal Aid was expected to appoint and instruct the last government-sponsored defence lawyer for Rittmann yesterday. Rittmann is charged along with her lover, Ryno Ricardo du Preez, 34, in respect of the death of her husband, Rudolf Rittmann, whose burnt remains were found in his car on the Windhoek-Gobabis road on 23 August 2013. Rittmann and Du Preez each face one count of murder, conspiracy to murder, defeating or obstructing the course of justice, violating a dead body by setting it alight, as well as a count of malicious damage to property.
She allegedly mixed unidentified tablets into her husband's drink, causing him to become drowsy, after which she then called in Du Preez, who was waiting nearby, to kill him.
The victim was allegedly stabbed 20 times with a sharp object, presumably a knife, while he lay in a state of confusion in his bed. The two accused are then believed to have loaded his body into his car and drove it up to the Kapps Farm area east of Windhoek and a few kilometres from the police checkpoint, where the burnt car was found. Rachel Rittman is being held at the Klein Windhoek Police Station, while Du Preez is being held at the Windhoek Correctional Facility's holding cells. State advocates Martino Olivier and Ethel Ndlovu represented the prosecution.
NAMPA
The 46-year-old Rittmann's State-funded lawyer, Appolos Shimakeleni, withdrew from the case because of the accused's alleged failure to give him instructions on how to proceed with the matter.
Shimakeleni is the second government-funded defence lawyer to withdraw from the case in less than two months, following Hipura Ujaha, who withdrew last month citing reasons similar to Shimakeleni's.
Legal Aid was expected to appoint and instruct the last government-sponsored defence lawyer for Rittmann yesterday. Rittmann is charged along with her lover, Ryno Ricardo du Preez, 34, in respect of the death of her husband, Rudolf Rittmann, whose burnt remains were found in his car on the Windhoek-Gobabis road on 23 August 2013. Rittmann and Du Preez each face one count of murder, conspiracy to murder, defeating or obstructing the course of justice, violating a dead body by setting it alight, as well as a count of malicious damage to property.
She allegedly mixed unidentified tablets into her husband's drink, causing him to become drowsy, after which she then called in Du Preez, who was waiting nearby, to kill him.
The victim was allegedly stabbed 20 times with a sharp object, presumably a knife, while he lay in a state of confusion in his bed. The two accused are then believed to have loaded his body into his car and drove it up to the Kapps Farm area east of Windhoek and a few kilometres from the police checkpoint, where the burnt car was found. Rachel Rittman is being held at the Klein Windhoek Police Station, while Du Preez is being held at the Windhoek Correctional Facility's holding cells. State advocates Martino Olivier and Ethel Ndlovu represented the prosecution.
NAMPA
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