Schiefer appeals again

A second appeal by Romeo Schiefer, who was sentenced to an effective 48 years in prison for the murder of his parents in October 2008, has been set down for January next year. Schiefer made another appearance before High Court Judge Naomi Shivute yesterday morning, where he was informed that his second appeal against his sentence would be heard on 24 January 2020.The date was decided between deputy prosecutor-general Antonia Verhoef, who represented the State, and Schiefer. Schiefer will represent himself because of financial difficulties. In addition, Legal Aid refused to provide him with state-funded legal representation, because the directorate concluded there was no possibility of success. Schiefer, who is now 30, was sentenced on 24 October 2013 to 28 years each on the two murder counts. He killed his parents - Frans and Fransiena Schiefer - both 50 at the time, at their house in Khomasdal on 18 January 2008Schiefer was just 18 years old when he murdered his parents. Frans was shot in the head in the couple's bedroom. His wife was stabbed repeatedly with a knife or knives and was also shot 17 times.Eight years of Schiefer's sentence are running concurrently, which means he was supposed to serve an effective 48 years. However, one 12 September 2017, his sentence was slightly reduced to an effective 42 years in a judgment handed down in the Supreme Court, following a successful appeal.Schiefer is serving his sentence at the Windhoek Central Correctional Facility. During sentence proceedings Shivute said the court had considered Schiefer's youthfulness, but added that it could not ignore that two innocent lives were taken during his murderous rampage. “The accused committed serious and heinous crimes of murder. He killed the deceased persons in cold blood, execution style,” Shivute said at the time. The other factors considered in Schiefer's favour, according to the judge, were that he was a first offender and that he had spent about six years in custody awaiting trial. Shivute said further that Schiefer attacked his parents viciously and mercilessly, hence society expected him to be given a lengthy sentence.“Failure to give him a lengthy sentence would put the administration of justice in disrepute,” the judge said. She said Schiefer's mother had 17 bullet wounds to her head, neck, chest, leg and abdomen. Several bullets were recovered from her body, while a knife blade was embedded in the right side of her neck. She had cut wounds on the right cheek and right leg. “The deceased had 17 bullet wounds on her body, which is clear evidence that the deceased was subjected to a merciless, prolonged attack. It also shows that the accused wanted her to die at any cost,” Shivute said. Schiefer's father died of head injuries, with a post-mortem report revealing brain damage. NAMPA

Schiefer appeals again

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-02

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Schiefer appeals again

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-02

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