Gobabis man challenges conviction for girlfriend’s murder

A 67-year-old Gobabis man convicted of murdering his girlfriend has launched an appeal against his conviction in the Windhoek High Court, arguing that the State failed to prove he had the intention to kill.Andries Coetzee was sentenced in the Gobabis Regional Court to 18 years’ imprisonment, of which four years were suspended for five years, after being found guilty of murder of Endeline Tjombe, eight years ago.Court records indicate that the two were in a romantic relationship at the time of the incident in June 2017. The couple got into a confrontation in the late hours of 14 June 2017, during which Coetzee who was 57-years-old at the time stabbed Tjombe on the shoulder. She died days later, with a post-mortem report concluding that the stab wound was the cause of death.Appealing convictionIn his appeal documents, Coetzee argues that the State failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the stab wound caused her death. He further contends that he acted in self-defence after Tjombe attacked him with an iron bar, and that he merely “scratched” her with a knife during the scuffle.Andries claims that as a lay person with limited knowledge, he could not have foreseen that a wound to the shoulder would be fatal, adding that the deceased herself did not seek medical attention and continued with her daily activities until days later.However, the State has opposed the appeal, arguing that the conviction was correct and supported by overwhelming evidence.On the merits, the State relied on witness testimony and medical evidence. A neighbour to the two testified during trial that she saw Tjombe bleeding from her shoulder on the night of the altercation, and heard her ask Coetzee why he had stabbed her. Further to this, the state added that a police officer and medical practitioners also confirmed that the fatal wound penetrated the lung and heart, causing internal bleeding that led to her death.The State further argued that his claim of self-defence did not meet the legal requirements, as Tjombe was unarmed at the time she was stabbed and his life was not in imminent danger.rita@nmh-hub.com.na

Gobabis man challenges conviction for girlfriend’s murder

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-22

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Gobabis man challenges conviction for girlfriend’s murder

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-22

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